


The Ocean between Us

by Booksimonseesmorphine



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Blood and Gore, Eld is an English teacher, Erwin is a history teacher tehe, Gunther is a math teacher, Hange is a Science teacher (no shock there), Happy Ending, Jean is still an ass, M/M, Marco is a pet shop employee, Merman!Levi, Mike is a gym teacher, Oluo is a home EC teacher, POV Eren Yeager, Petra is the school nurse, mermaid au, so many feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-01-13 22:10:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 43,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1242436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Booksimonseesmorphine/pseuds/Booksimonseesmorphine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren has been living on the coast by the sea with his father and his adopted sister Mikasa. Sadly his mother died when she was giving birth to Eren but she died happily knowing that her dream of living by the sea had came true.  Every night before he goes to sleep he peers out his window and stares up at the stars while talking to his mother and hoping she can hear him. What he doesn't realize is the huge disaster waiting to happen in his Science class the next day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sea Breeze and Head Aches

       I never would have admitted it, but I loved waking up to the ocean breeze that rustled my curtains in the morning. Hearing the seagulls squawk as if to communicate to each other when food is found. It was peaceful, quiet and it was home. My home. My name is Eren Yeager, I’m 17 years old and live with my adopted sister Mikasa and my father. My mother died when I was born for reasons unknown to me, my father never said anything, he just told me she passed when I was young. I never thought to ask why due to the fact that I didn't know how he would react so I just let it go. Sighing deeply I heard my father call me and Mikasa down for breakfast. My dad wasn't the best cook nor was he the worse. I was just grateful he _could_ cook unlike myself. One night he went out to a meeting with his fellow Doctor buddies and told me to start dinner around 7:00 p.m. Don’t ask me how but I managed to burn water. Yes. Burn.water. I swear Mikasa was going to whack me upside the head with a frying pan that night. From that day on, I got banned from the stove.

I heard Mikasa’s footsteps on the hardwood floor then a knock on my door before I decided to look at the door.

“Eren, come on time to get up we have class.” she said and I groaned in response.

“Five more minutes.” I begged and pulled my blanket over my head while turning my back to the door.

“No, wake up now or I’ll kick the door down.” I heard the venom in her voice and snickered _she thinks she can be so threatening pfft sure_ I thought and rolled my eyes.

"Eren, I will and you know I will." she stated firmly and I just sighed and took the blanket off of my head and turned back around.

"I'm up, okay?" I said loud enough that she could hear me from the other side of my shut door.

"Thank you." She said while I heard her foot steps leave my door and head down stairs.

I didn't want to go to school. I liked going don't get me wrong it's just the people there. Besides Mikasa and my best friend Armin, there's a few kids there that I could deal without.It's a small school in town and there's maybe 200 kids who attend. Like I said it's a small school in an even smaller town. Breakfast was decent and after I got ready I went back downstairs to get my lunch and noticed Mikasa already ready and waiting to leave. She disliked being late and hated waiting. I went in the kitchen and my father handed me my lunch. 

"I have a meeting tonight and won't be back until later tomorrow evening. Behave and Mikasa," My father called for her and she appeared in the door frame of the kitchen. ****

"Keep Eren away from the stove." He shook his head and suppressed a laugh remembering that night like it was yesterday. 

"Will do." She said and returned to the front door while I put my lunch in my bag and followed her. I stuck my tongue out at my dad as we made our way out the door. The school was a few blocks away about a ten minuet walk,however, we always stopped by Armin's Grandparent's house to pick him up. Honestly he was the smartest kid you would ever meet,but he was fragile. I didn't mind nor did Mikasa we promised to protect one another no matter what even if it was Mikasa and I protecting Armin half the time. We turned the corner and made our way up the street until he were at his front door and I rang the door bell.

"Mikasa I have a serious question." I started and looked serious as her eyes fell on me, the ocean breeze blew through my hair slightly.

"W-what?" She stuttered and blushed lightly.  


"Why don't we.." I looked at her and she blushed more. 

"Why don't we what?" I could see the curiosity written all over her face.

"Why don't we have a door bell? Seriously? I want one." I giggled and knocked on Armin's door.

She looked at me with eyes that were set to kill and punched me in the arm causing me to hiss with pain and rub my arm.

"Hey what the hell was that for!?" I yelled and looked at her sternly.

"You're an ass." She spat back while looking down her bangs hiding her red face and instantly became hushed when the door opened and a little old lady smiled kindly at us.

"Armin will be down in a moment he's just grabbing the last of his books." she said and moved aside offering us to come in.

"Alright thanks." I said and walked in as Mikasa followed silently. The house was nice but you could tell the moment you walked in that it belonged to old folks. It was comfortable and kinda reminded me of my home but not as old fashioned as we made our way into the living room. Armin's Grandfather always sat in his favorite leather chair in the morning and went fishing in the afternoon. That was the only time I ever saw the chair empty.

"Would you like some tea before you leave?" She asked from the kitchen. I looked at Mikasa for an answer but all she did was shake her head.

"No thanks!" I yelled back to her and heard someone coming down from the steps.

"Oh hey guys ready to go?" Armin said with a smile as we nodded. He went into the kitchen and gave his Grandmother a hug and kissed her cheek. Then he went into the living room and hugged his grandfather good-bye. He did this every morning but we didn't mind and he didn't seem to care if we saw him. I smiled at Armin and opened the door as he said good bye over his shoulder and shut the door behind him. 

"Ready for History today?" Armin asked trying to hide his excitement but failed miserably as we made our way to the school. 

"What's so great about today's lesson that has you all excited?" I asked as I raised an eyebrow. 

"Remember? Mr.Erwin is teaching us about Myths and Legends today!" Armin said as his eyes lit up. I thought he was gonna burst out of his skin he was _that_ excited. 

"Oh yeah." I said and looked up at the sky and smiled. Hoping my mom could see me and be proud of all that I've done. We made it to the courtyard and heard the first bell ring. Mikasa and Armin ran in front of me and I stopped in the middle of the yard and sighed. "Wish me luck Mom." 

"Come on Eren! Hurry up!" Armin yelled and I shook my head and ran to the doors,I suddenly felt a warm sensation in my chest and smiled. My mom had heard me and she was watching. 

 

  My first period class was my A.P English class with Mr. Eld Jinn. He was kinda tall and always had his blond hair stuck up in a bun like thing. He was a nice guy and a lot of the girls in my class had a huge crush on him the same went for my history class with Mr.Erwin. I didn't understand why nor did I want to know why. I came to the conclusion that fan girls can be scary when you ask them why they "love" someone so much. I shivered at the thought and took my seat next to Armin and Mikasa was behind me.

"Alright class take out your text books and turn to page 179." Mr.Jinn started and I swear I heard every female in that class except Mikasa sigh a love stricken sigh. I just shook my head and took out my book. The rest of his class went by fairly quickly and the bell for second period rang. I jotted down the homework before I left and picked up my belongings and made my way to the door. Second period was always weird. It was College Prep. Science and my teacher was a nutcase. Ms. Hange Zoe was her name and she took her course very seriously even though she was nuts.

"Good morning class!" She sang while she made her way through the door with a stack of papers in her hands. The class and I groaned and I heard some kid about three seats behind me hit his head on his desk. Armin and I chuckled as Ms. Hange closed the door behind her and went to her desk that was in front of the class.

"Oh stop your complaining we're doing something fun today!" She said while putting the papers down. "We studying Marine Biology!" again the class groaned but Armin couldn't sit still in his seat and the topic actually struck some interest in me as well. "Pick a partner and take a pen and paper. We're going outside to study the ocean." She smiled while putting two stacks of papers on the corner of her desk. Armin smiled at me and I nodded as we got up along with the rest of the class and made our way down the hall and through the doors. Our school was next to a pier and the beach. It was a beautiful mid-afternoon with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky with a gentle breeze from the ocean. I smiled and sucked in the ocean breeze through my nostrils and deep into my lungs until the salt that was embedded in the air burned my lungs. 

"Eren this is so cool!" I have never seen Armin  this happy since the day his Grandfather gave him a book about the Oceans around the World.

"I know this is pretty neat." I said as we made our way toward the beach. I took my shoes and socks off like most of our class did.The sand was warm between my toes and the breeze cool as it ghosted on my neck. 

"Alright class! Follow the instructions on the paper and if you must go into the ocean make sure you are no more than ankle level and I can still see you." Ms. Hange said with a firm tone. Everyone nodded and went off on their search for the listed items. Armin and I searched for something called a sand dollar. I was grateful that Armin knew what that was despite there being a picture of it on the paper. I was clueless when it came to this stuff. With or with out a picture guide. 

"Think we'll need to go into the ocean for whatever a sand dollar is?' I asked with an eyebrow raised and a questioning look on my face as Armin shrugged. 

"Maybe, if we don't find one ashore, we may need to go in." Armin nodded toward the water the sea breeze running through his golden blonde hair. 

"Alright." I said as we kept searching. 

  

   About fifteen minutes passed and we found everything on the list BUT that sand dollar thing. "Looks like we need to go in." I sighed and Armin nodded in agreement. We trotted over to Ms. Hange to let her know we were going in. She said okay but be careful and cautious. We nodded and walked toward the ocean. 

"Want me to go in?" I asked Armin as I rolled up my pant legs past my knee caps, the water splashing my feet as I glanced over at him when I didn't get a response. "Armin?"   

"Oh, yeah sure! I'll watch you from here." He jumped back into reality and said. I guess I took him out of his deep thoughts. _Whoops._  

I nodded and we gave each other a high five and I stepped in. The water was cool yet warm. Pleasant but had some waves rippling and crashing onto shore. The breeze rustled my hair and blew through my thin tan shirt. 

"What do you see!?" Armin yelled over to me as I glanced down.

"Sand. Lots and lots of sand." I chuckled and looked at him from over my shoulder then back at my feet the ocean was so clear and beautiful. My eyes scanned the ocean floor looking for whatever that damn dollar thing was. I went a little deeper  the water now up to my knees, in search for the last item on our list. I don't know when Armin started yelling, I was to determined to listen Nor did I notice the big wave coming straight at me.

"Eren!" I heard Ms. Hange screaming this time, causing me to look back at her and followed her finger that was pointing to the wave that was about to crash into me. My eyes went wide and I attempted to run back to the shore but it was to late. I was swallowed whole by the wave and caught in a rip current. 

 

   I tumbled a few times and hit my head on a rock and growled at the pain keeping my mouth and eyes closed as my hands found my head and held the spot that had been hit. I thought that this was the end of me. I could see my life flashing before my eyes. I saw my Dad cooking dinner, Mikasa studying Math outside on the patio and Armin reading a book while sitting on the sand on top of a blanket.  I don't know when I stopped tumbling but the rip current felt like it tore me open. I couldn't muster the strength to swim. I was a goner. I was gonna drown here and no one would find me. I was-

  My grim thoughts ceased when I felt a pair of arms snaked around my chest and felt someone's bare chest against my back. Had someone came out and saved me? How could they see in this? Goggles maybe? I opened my eyes slightly and looked down, noticing a webbed hand was holding my chest. My eyes followed the arm to the neck and face of my savior. I didn't get a good look of him but he had short black hair that was buzzed in the back and pointy black ears. Black lines occupying his neck and a slightly pointed nose. He was swimming rather fast. _To fast_ for a _human_ I began to think. I stirred in his arms and his head snapped downward to look at me. His eyes were silver and wide but seemed to glow in the light of the water. I gasped and water immediately filled my mouth and I struggled against him in a panic.  He gripped me tighter while swimming faster as we approached shallow water, I felt the slick webbed hand let go and I floated up to shore.  

****"Eren, Eren are you alright!?" I heard Ms. Hange say while Armin helped me up and out of the water.

"He's fine, just got a bump on his head is all. I'll take him to the nurse." Armin reassured our panic stricken teacher and slung one of my arms over his shoulders then grabbed my shoes. As he walked, I felt my feet drag against the sand, then the tiled floor of the building toward the nurse's office.

"You okay?" I heard Armin ask while he knocked on the nurse's door, dropping my shoes and helping me put them on while I leaned against the wall.

"Yeah." I chocked on the sea salt still burning my insides.

"Come in!" Armin opened the door and Ms. Ral  gasped and dropped her clip board when her eyes fell on us. "Oh my god what happened to you!?" She ran over, her heels clacking as she moved. 

"I slipped in the restroom and hit my head on the sink." I lied and hoped she would buy it thankfully she did. 

"Well that was clumsy of you. Sit down and let me take a look at that nasty gash in your forehead." She walked over to her supply cabinet and pulled out some gloves, an alcohol swab, and a band-aid. Armin sat me down and I watched her, my eyes straining from the sea salt burning my eyes. She pulled up a rolly chair and placed herself in front of me. She picked up the alcohol swab and began to clean the dry blood off of my face. I winced every so often and tried not to back away from her.

"Thankfully it's not to deep and you don't have any internal head injuries or bleeding. The sinks here are awfully vicious." She giggled at her own joke and I sat there unable to move. It hurt to move. Everything hurt. What would hurt worse is if Mikasa found out. She'd tear Ms. Hange a new one then punch me, scolding me about going into the ocean without her. Science was the only class she was away from me.

"Am I okay?" I said with a burning sensation in my throat and lungs.

"Yup. I'll give you an ice pack and you can head to your last class." She placed the medium sized band-aid on my wound then pushed her heels against the tiled floor and rolled toward the freezer and pulled out an ice pack and rolled back to hand it to me then picked up her clip board she had dropped. 

"See me after class and tell me how you feel okay?" She smiled and wrote down the incident on her clip board as I held the ice to my head and hummed in agreement. 

 

 

     Armin and I went back to our science class to grab our things. Nurse Ral wrote us both an excuse note for Mr.Erwin's class. We both knew we would be late and Mr.Erwin dislikes tardiness. We turned the corner and I saw those silver eyes pop up in my head and I visioned the man that saved my life was right in front of me. His webbed hands found my face and his silver eyes seemed to pierce into my soul.  But he wasn't, Armin was. I didn't realize he was shacking my shoulder and I snapped out of my trance, we were already in Mr.Erwin's class. 

"You alright there Yeager?" He asked while examining the ice pack on my head and the yellow tardy slip in his hand. I was silent and I felt every set of eyes, (even Mikasa's) in the class watching Armin and I. I felt sick at the thought that I could have gotten killed in a rip current and Ms. Hange could have been fired. 

"Yes he's fine sir. Are we still learning about Myths and Legends?" Armin asked while walking me to my seat and taking his.

'Of course." Erwin said while turning to the white board and writing today's date and learning goals. 

"I couldn't decide on what Myth or Legend to choose first so I'll call out a name and ask you choose a number 1-20. I'll pick that way." He sat in his chair and fished around in his breast pocket and found his glasses. Again every girl squealed with anticipation hoping he'd pick them. Apparently Mr.Erwin was a heart throb when he put his glasses on. _"My god spare me and my aching head."_   I thought and glanced over at Armin. He was like a bag of jumping beans, if Erwin didn't pick him I think Armin would be disappointed and slightly upset as would I. Armin was Mr.Erwin's favorite student, his only A+ student. 

"Armin, pick a number." Mr.Erwin peered over his lenses in Armin direction ignoring the aggravated sighs his "fan girls" let out. I looked at him and smiled thankful that Erwin choose him.

"Uh..number 14 sir!" He said happily and wiggled in his seat.

"14...14..ah! 14." He said while looking down the list he got up and opened a marker. While he was writing on the board, my curiosity peeked. I watched him and looked at Armin who shrugged not sure what subject the number was."I dunno," he whispered to me. "I just picked a random number." 

 Our question was answered when he slid to the side and reveled the subject that was under the number. I looked at it in wonderment.

"The subject that Armin choose is Mermaids." Mr.Erwin walked around his desk to grab the projector, I heard some classmates snicker and could see Armin blush lightly. I tilted my head to the side and felt dizzy. Mr.Erwin walked toward the lights and shut them off,the projector light illuminating the room and a picture of a female mermaid was presented on the white board. I heard some "oh's?" and "damn" and even a "Holy hell! What a babe!" Erwin shook his head and removed his glasses.

"Yes,yes soak in the only Female you will see besides your sister and mother." Mr.Erwin joked and picked up his teacher's book that looked identical to ours only larger and had sticky notes poking out on all sides. "The legend of Mermaids has been around for decades." He began. "Mermaids or mermen have the upper body of whatever gender they are and have different types of fish tails. They can swim incredibly fast,faster then _any human_ could."

I jerked in my seat and remembered my accident that happened only a half hour ago. I winced as my head pulsed. I paid extra attention to this lesson and began to jot down notes.

"The creatures have _webbed hands and pointy ears_ that usually match the color of there tails and _gills on their necks_. Merpeople can be extremely violent or lovable.  To put it simply." He leaned against his desk and flipped to a picture of a mermaid seducing a fishermen "they can make you fall in love with them." then switched it to a merman biting the arm off of a man who was trying to capture him. "Or kill you." I froze in my seat and raised my hand.

"E-excuse me Mr.Erwin?" my voice shook causing Armin to look at me concerned as did Mikasa. 

"Yes Eren?" He nodded toward me while shutting his book, placing it on this desk.

"Are they real? Mermaids and mermen?" I asked while I let my arm fall, still holding my ice pack to my head. 

"As far as I'm aware of no. But I could be wrong." He finished and glanced out the window at the sea as the final bell rang. 

I packed my stuff and went to Nurse Ral's office, deep in thought.

"Eren!" Mikasa called for me and I turned to her. "What happened to your head. Did you get beat up? Who did it?" she pushed.

"I fell in the bathroom, I'm going to the Nurse for a check up." I said with a blank expression.

"Eren I'm worried." She looked at me then something bubbled inside me.

"Mind your damn business Mikasa..I'm not a baby." I snapped and turned to leave, leaving her there in the hallway. I entered Nurse Ral's office and she smiled lightly.

"Hey Eren, how are you feeling?" She asked kindly but I didn't reply, the words Mr.Erwin said in his lesson echoed in my head. 

_"Webbed hands"_

_"Pointy ears"_

_"Fish tails"_

_"Gills"_

_"Kill."_

_"Eren."  I looked up and saw that man,no,that thing in front of me again, Eren. My name echoed loudly in the silent room. It was in front of me and put it's hands on my shoulders._

_"How do you know  my name?" I asked attempting to put a brave face on. The creature didn't reply_ __it just grinned, showing it's sharp teeth._  _

"Eren,honey you okay?" Nurse Ral was in front of me and put a tender hand on my shoulder. I hadn't realized that she was there.

I glanced up at her with a fear stricken face "Nurse Ral." I started with my voice trembling. 

"Yes?" She began to look worried. "Eren sweety, what's wrong, Eren, can you hear me? Eren!?"

'I-I think I'm..' My voice trailed off and I fell to the floor. The darkness flooded the room and I heard Nurse Ral call my name once more. The last thing I saw before my eyes shut was that wicked grin that the creature had. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Ocean Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I felt the ocean air assault my bangs as I looked out at sea. The moonlight made my shadow huge even though I felt so small...  
> "Mom.." I looked at my hands then up at the night sky where the stars shimmered. My eyes began to tear up as I kept my gaze up wards.  
> "I miss you.."

     _The darkness was thick and heavy. It felt hard to breathe and think clearly. I sat up in the dark room holding my head and feeling the rough material of the bandage Nurse Ral gave me. What even happened? Everything was hazy and I was dizzy again. I felt like my ass was planted where I sat. I struggled to break free of my invisible shackles. My lungs began to burn,thus making me panic once again. "Eren." I heard a voice in the otherwise pitch black room._

_"Who's there?" I looked around frantically until I felt water pour into my mouth. Just like yesterday..._

_"Eren." said the voice again. I swung my head around to where I thought I heard it then looked up when it got louder. My eyes went  so wide I thought they'd pop out of my head. He was there, mocking me. His silver eyes wide with hunger as he hovered over my bound body. He gripped my neck and dug his nails into my jugular. He saved me once. No way in hell he'd do it again. It was dumb luck. I was vulnerable and his next meal. He opened his mouth wide, those sharp teeth seemed more violent up close and-_

 

   I shot up with a scream than began to hyperventilate . Mikasa jumped and dropped her book.

"Eren?" She was at my bed side and had "worry" written all over her face. 

"W-what happened? Where am I?" I asked while bringing my hand to my head flinching at the pain that shot through my head then down my spine. 

"Home. Eren, Nurse Ral brought you here and asked me to call her every hour to make sure you're okay. You fainted in her office, you were dehydrated." She turned to my nightstand, grabbing the full glass of water and handed it to me. "She told me to make sure you drink plenty of water." I looked down at the cup as it rippled under my shaking hands. 

"You haven't been acting like yourself since yesterday. Did you really slip in the bathroom or did something _else_ happen?" Mikasa began to question me and I gave her a look. I knew she would figure it out eventually, but I was trying to make it not obvious that I was lying.

"Yes, I told you I slipped in the bathroom and hit my head on the sink." I said trying not to raise my voice.

"Falling in a bathroom doesn't cause dehydration, _Eren_. I'm not stupid. I saw you on the beach yesterday with Armin when you were in Ms. Hange's class." That made me jerk under my covers. She saw through my ruse and I was screwed. Might as well get ready for her fist of fury to become best friends with my face. 

 "Mikasa..stop I'm not in the mood to talk about it." I warned her. Now I was being honest. I didn't want to talk about my accident. I definitely didn't want to remember those silver eyes haunting my thoughts ether.

"Eren, talk to me please, I want to help but you pushing me away is getting us nowhere.." My eyes met hers and I could see she was getting ticked off that I wouldn't tell.

"Mikasa. Stop." I hissed through clenched teeth while gripping my covers so hard my knuckles almost turned white. 

"Eren, please." She kept pressing me to my breaking point. I got up, ignoring my head pain, I felt weak but I didn't care.

"Piss.off." I said and ran to my door to open it, grabbing my hoodie and slamming it shut before she could get another word out. I went down the stairs and slipped my shoes on then ran outside slamming the front door shut as I ran toward the beach.

    It was dark despite the moonlight and the stars glowing rather brightly along with the street lamps. Mikasa didn't follow me. _"Good keep it that way."_ I thought and slowed my steps as I made it to the pier. I felt the ocean air assault my bangs as I looked out at sea. The moonlight made my shadow huge even though I felt so small. "Mom.." I looked at my hands then up at the night sky, the stars shimmering in the clear sky. My eyes began to tear up as I kept my gaze up wards. "I miss you.." I felt the tears stream down my face and my head pulsate. I brought my hands to my face and fell to my knees. I was weak and couldn't even handle a glass of water with out shacking and feeling guilty. "Damn it." I let my hands fall to my knees and squeezed my eyes shut until I heard someone yelling from the beach. I quickly stopped my sobs and  turned my head in the direction of the voices. 

"Ey! What the hell happened to our boat!?" One man asked.

"I told you Peter, something attacked me when I tried to pull up the net!" The other man said to his friend waving his hands frantically.

_"What are two men doing out here at night?" Then again, what the hell am I doing here?"_ I pondered on the thought then shrugged.

"And what was the Jack? The ghost of the Flying Dutchman and his dead crew? Give me a break and cut the crap. Where is our load?" I strained my eyes but still couldn't see them, just black silhouettes. Thankfully I could hear them at least, the tide was calm tonight. 

_"Load? Load of what? Fish?"_ I wondered and tried to keep still as possible as I could until I decided to climb off of the pier and hide behind one of the support beams underneath.  

"I told you, something attacked me before I could get the the load out of the water." Jack strained his neck and pointed to the ocean. "There is something out there Pete I'm serious." 

"I think it's time you have a vacation." Peter sighed and examined the damaged fishing boat. "Well whatever it was it tore a hole in our boat. Great." 

"It was a man,Pete, _a man_! I felt the tug of the net stop and I got up-" 

"For once." Peter interrupted while crossing is arms. I giggled lightly at that and covered my mouth. I noticed both men stop talking and scanned the area. 

"Shut up, maybe we can still get the load. When I saw it's eyes they were _glowing_ and looked highly aggravated. It's _sharp teeth_ bared  and it launched at me Peter! The damn thing  _launched at me._ Like a rocket. Thankfully I had a knife and stabbed it in the shoulder before it bit me." Jack pulled up his arm to show his friend his torn sleeve. 

"We'll search in the morning, it was probably just a shark messing with you, come on." Peter stated while walking up toward the pier. 

_"Shit they're coming this way."_ I thought and hid completely behind the pillar. It was quite after a few moments, so I glanced over the wood and noticed they were gone. I sighed in relief and slid down the pillar sinking into the sand slightly.

     I emerged from under the pier and walked on the sand, the moon still raised high against  the dark sky and lighting my way. "I have to apologize to Mikasa when I get home." I said to myself as I walked barefoot on the cold sand. "I'm sorry Mom, can you forgive me? I know I wouldn't if I were you" I looked down as I walked, and heard the tide pick up. She was ether yelling at me from heaven or letting me know she forgave me. I stopped to glance at the ocean and walked into it, staying at ankle level and remembering my accident. "I still didn't find that sand dollar.." I said to the ocean like it could hear me.

    I felt the ripples of the sea against my ankles and sometimes on my knees through my pants as it splashed against my legs. I closed my eyes and let the ocean's breeze soothe my nerves. I stayed there for a bit until I felt something slimy latch onto my ankle. I thought nothing of it at first, it was just seaweed I believed until it got tighter around my ankle. My eyes snapped open and I looked down to see a pale hand gripping my foot.

"W-WHAT THE HELL!?" I screeched and tried to run away but this thing had a death grip on me.  In my  attempt to flee, I tripped and face planted into the cold sand. I mumbled an "ow" in the sand and whimpered. I think it's time I invested in a safety bubble for myself.  I pushed myself up with my hands and shook the sand off of my face and turned to look at whatever it was that had my ankle. It's face was covered by it's black hair, all I could see was his torso, the rest was hidden by the sea. He had pale skin, muscular arms with slightly broad shoulders.  I just stared at the man with wide eyes. _"Should I poke it?"_ I wondered. 

"H-hey uh, can I h-have my ankle back?" I watched him for a response and attempted to move my ankle, but got nothing. He just laid there.

"A-are you dead?" I asked him again and reached to poke his head. This time he tilted his head up slowly to look at me through straight black hair that dripped water slightly onto his face, those silver eyes peering into mine. He growled lightly like he was warning me to back off. I brought my hand back and watched him carefully. The creature huffed out a breath and reached with his free hand to it's shoulder. I followed his hand and noticed a knife jutting out of his flesh. 

"Y-you, you're the thing that attacked that fisherman's boat right?" I asked and watched him begin to pull out the knife slowly as he hissed through clenched teeth. He kept hissing from the pain and I began to lean toward him. "H-here let me help you." I was scared of him. Even though he saved me yesterday I was still petrified because of the visions I saw in my dream before I woke up after blacking out. His head turned toward me and I glanced at his face the moon light bouncing against his pale skin. He slowly shook his head "no" and I leaned back. I felt bad for him. He was hurting and all I could do was watch. He fell, his cheek resting on the sand and panted heavily as the ocean waves broke against his back. I leaned over to look at his shoulder and flinched.

"That knife is in there pretty deep dude." I looked down at the weak body and and his silver eyes met mine causing me to blush lightly. I tore my eyes away from his.

"A-anyway uh, I'll make you a deal." I said and noticed his pointy ears perk as if he was interested in what I was going to offer.  "I'll help you get that knife out, but only if you let go of my ankle." I felt his grip tighten even harder on me. "I promise I won't run away." I tried to reassure him even though I felt no blood going into my foot. I reached for the knife as he flinched and slipped a growl at me. I withdrew my hand again and starred at him. "Please..trust me, you saved me yesterday..It's my turn to return the favor." I swallowed hard and reached for the knife again.

    His eyes went wide as I got closer, time seemed to slow. My heart was pounding against my chest as I thought,"He's going to kill me. I'll take the knife out and I'm dead." My hand gripped the knife's handle and he growled louder. "I'm s-sorry" I shuddered and pulled the knife out causing him to growl and lash around. "H-hey! Calm down!" I said while putting my hands up to defend myself from his violent reaction as his blood pooled from his wound onto the sand. He looked down and panted, letting go of my ankle and using that hand to hold onto his shoulder. He laid there as I  waited for him to pass out from blood loss. "I-I can take you back to my place and patch that up?" I asked while bringing my knees to my chest. He was silent as was I.

     I looked down at my knees then rubbed the back of my neck. "D-do you want to come?" I asked again and he looked up at me innocently, his silver eyes shimmering in the moon light and nodded. "Need help up?" I smiled nervously and scooted on my butt toward him, extending my shaking hand. He shook his head and looked over his shoulder toward his "legs". 'Are you able to walk?" I asked and again he shook his head "no". My eyes went wide when reality hit me like a fright train. "You can't walk because you don't have any legs,do you?." He glanced at me and nodded as he flexed his back causing his tail to rise. The moonlight lit it up as water fell from his fins.

"I-I can't believe it..I got saved by a Merman..I-I thought you didn't exist." I chocked on my words as he rested his chin on his palm and rolled his eyes. He gave me a _"That's-what-they-all-say"_ look.  'Hey don't give me that look!." I snapped at him as he shook his head.  I sighed "..I-if you want I can carry you?" I offered then he began to crawl forward. Out of instinct, I backed up.  His webbed fingers extended to grab at the sand. In his effort to move, he strained his wound and it began to bleed again. He hissed and collapsed, but this time he didn't get back up. I looked concerned then picked him up bridal style and made my way home.

 

     The breeze the ocean let out blew my hair slightly as I walked. The Merman was in my arms, his head resting on my shoulder. Believe it or not, he wasn't as heavy as I thought he'd be. I looked down at him every so often to make sure he was okay. His hair moved slightly with every step I took. I prayed to God that Mikasa was ether asleep or left for the night.  That's all I need right now is for her to see me holding a merman bridal style. I made it to the steps of my house and swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "Please be asleep, please be asleep." I begged and opened the door to see a note by the telephone. I mentally reminded myself to grab it after I put him in the tub. The only thing I knew was that merpeople needed water to survive. Carrying him on a flat surface was nothing, however, up the stairs was damn near impossible. I struggled up the stairs with him still in my arms and felt the force of gravity hit me ten fold. Thank the heavens today was Friday, I would be to sore to walk the halls in the morning. 

   "H-holy s-shit."  I gasped out while opening the bathroom door and putting him in the tub. "Stay there, I'll be back." I said to the sleeping man after I turned the water on. I shut the door behind me and went to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit my Father left in the cabinet, just in case there was a kitchen accident. I picked it up then went to the telephone to read the note. 

  _"Eren,_

_I went to Annie's house with Sasha to study for our math test on Monday and I'll be back Sunday night. Dad called and said he won't be back until Next Thursday. Something came up in his meeting and his company made him stay. Nurse Ral wants you to call her when you decide to come back.  Have fun and I'm sorry about earlier._

_-Mikasa A."_

 

"Damn, way to make me feel like a jerk." I groaned and noticed something on the back. 

' _"P.S DO.NOT.TOUCH.THE.STOVE."_

_"_ Oh really!? You just _had_  to go there didn't you!" I yelled at the empty house and stomped up the stairs with the first aid kit in hand. I grumbled and opened the bathroom door to see him awake, the tiled floor was wet and he was facing the wall. His shoulder seemed to stop bleeding for now exposing the gash that looked rather deep. 

'You alright there?" I asked and cocked an eyebrow as I shut the door behind me. He looked over at me with a rubber duck in his mouth. I was speechless and I felt my eye twitch. I burst into laughter and I honestly don't think I ever laughed that hard in my life.

"Did you seriously try to eat my rubber duck!?" I almost cried I was laughing so hard. He tilted his head to the side,making the duck squeak and causing me to laugh even harder as I walked toward him. "Come on let's get you fixed up." I said while giggling and kneeling down on the side of the tub, placing the first aid kit on the toilet seat while he gnawed on that poor rubber duck. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Eren darling you're so clumsy. Also Peter and Jack are just random dudes I decided to add just for fun. I had nothing to do today and had so many ideas I decided to update. If you thought Chapter 1 and 2 were somewhat humorous, just wait until Chapter 3 and so on it get's better I promise ;D. Again thank you everyone for reading,commenting, book marking and the kudos! I appreciate it <3


	3. The Warmth of  Your Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What if he's right though?" I whispered and looked up at the clouds. "Hey mom, will you be watching the meteor shower tonight with me as well?" I asked the sky and grinned when I felt a light wind brush through my hair. "I can't wait." I thought as I opened the front door.
> 
> Warning: Prepare yourself for feels. ;D

     I  wiped the tears from my eyes while the man in my tub looked confused, I smiled and told him it was nothing.  "Enjoying my duck?" I asked with a giggle as he shook his head "yes". "In order for me to fix that wound, I'm gonna need you to return my duck." He looked at me dead in the eyes and shook his head "no". "Give me the duck.' I ordered and again he shook his head "no". I sighed and pinched my temple between my thumb and pointer finger. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." I stated as he gnawed on the bath toy obviously ignoring me. "Alright, fine have it your way. I'll count to three." He raised his thin brow, giving me a _"Are-you-serious"_ look. "One." I started as he shook his head. "Two.." He glanced over at me and growled. "Thr-" My threat was cut short,he spat the duck out and it hit me in the face. The thing _squeaked_ when it made contact with my forehead as I scrunched my face in discomfort. Thankfully my head didn't hurt that much anymore. 

   I just sat there bewildered. _"Did he really just hit me in the face with my own duck?"_ I opened my eyes and saw him giving me a cocky smirk. "I don't know if any of your merbuddies have told you,but you are one sassy merman." I stated while wiping my face off with my shirt sleeve as he nodded. The house was quite despite the sound of the light breeze outside.  I turned to open the first aid kit as he sat there looking at his webbed fingers then admiring the tub and soap holder.  I dug out an alcohol swab and gauze then turned to face him. "Come here, I need to clean it first..' He looked over at me and scooted over causing the water to shift slightly. I leaned over the bath and began to blush slightly, "This may sting a bit." I told him as his eye brows knitted together and nodded.

    I swallowed the lump in my throat and began to clean his wound. He bit his lip and growled while moving away from the cloth. "I told you, now please c-come here." I asked and  watched him come back toward me with frown at the pain the alcohol wipe was giving him. I wanted to hold him and take the pain away and help him forget about the huge gash in his shoulder.  "D-do you uh.." I blushed even harder and looked to the side. He was silent as I tried to form words with out sounding like a moron.  "C-can I uh..Would you want t-to.." My god why was this so hard, seriously I couldn't stop blushing at the thought of holding him and easing his pain away. He looked at me and smirked at the fact that I was struggling. "You think this is funny don't you?" I asked as my cheeks burned and he nodded. "Least you're honest." I shrugged and looked at him. "Can I hold you? Maybe that would relax your nerves? I-I mean you don't have to I was just wondering is all." I slipped over my own words and sighed then looked up at him through my lashes. _"Great I pissed him off."_ I thought until he leaned over and wrapped his arms around my neck and rested his head on my shoulder. 

   I couldn't help my face getting beet red as I held him and began to clean his wound again. He flinched at the pain and gripped my shirt tightly. "I'm sorry.." I whispered then finished up cleaning his wound. "T-there all clean." I said as I looked down at him. His silver eyes glanced up at me through his bangs causing me to smile warmly. "Feel better?" I asked as he nodded his cheek rubbing against my shoulder. He let go so I could grab the gauze and wrap his shoulder up the best I could,for once Health class came in handy. "Alright you're good!" I said and he looked at his shoulder then came back into my arms. I blushed more as he rested his head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist,well attempted to and rested my cheek on his head. I could have stayed like that forever if it was possible. "I'm gonna have to find a way to get you out of this tub." I spoke to him and he nodded in agreement as he fought to stay awake. "We'll find a way, don't worry." I smiled and began to nod off with him in my arms.

    I woke up the next morning with a massive crick in my neck and looked down at the figure soundly asleep in my embrace.  " _Holy hell he's cute."_ I thought to myself and sighed happily. It was a beautiful morning and I had to run to town for a pool or ask Armin if he had one I could use. Do you know how awkward it is to ask your best friend for a swimming pool when the ocean is literally in your backyard?  _Really_  awkward. I felt him shift in my arms and watched his eyes open slowly as he looked up at me. "Morning sleepy head." I whispered as he brought his hands to his face to rub his eyes. I didn't want to let go but I really had to use the restroom and I was getting hungry. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna get some breakfast." I told him as I got up and made my way to the door and down the stairs.  After I was done in the bathroom, I went into the kitchen and took out some toaster waffles since the stove was off limits. While waiting for my waffles, I went to the phone and dialed Armin's number.

"Arlert residence,Armin speaking." Armin picked up and I heard his grandparents having a conversation in the background.

"Hey Armin it's Eren, I need to ask for a favor." I said and thought about how awkward this was going to be.

"Oh sure what do you need?" He replied.

"Do you have a swimming pool I could use for a bit?" I asked and felt massively stupid.

"For what if I may ask?" he said and I huffed.

"Since my accident, I haven't felt to comfortable to go back into the ocean yet. Nurse Ral said it'd be a good idea to start out small like a pool then try the ocean. It's like a uh.." I lied and felt slightly bad about it.

"Therapy kinda right?" He said and I was thankful he finished my statement for me.

"Yeah,pretty much." I chuckled lightly and rubbed the back of my neck.

"I see, well come to think of it I believe I do. Want to come pick it up around three-ish this afternoon?" he asked

"Perfect thanks Armin, I owe you!" I said and heard my waffles pop out of the toaster.

"Anytime see you later." He said then hung up as did I. 

    I went back into the kitchen to butter my waffles along with putting syrup in them and went back upstairs to check up on my "guest". "I'm back and have good news." I said while planting my butt on the floor by the tub. The merman was laying on his stomach with his face resting in his palms. He looked over at me and noticed my waffles and started to stare at them. "I found a pool we could put you in for a bit." I said while taking a bite of my breakfast as he watched and I felt a bit weird. "You want a bite?" I asked and offered one to him. He sniffed it and made a disgusted face. "What they're waffles, try them." I pressed and he shook his head. "Fine more for me." I giggled and took another bite and felt some syrup on the corner of my mouth. I was about to lick it off until I saw he was leaning toward me and licked it off first. If you thought my blushing was bad last night it was worse now. He smirked and licked his lips. "Uh...um..d-do you want one now?" I said while becoming flustered. He nodded as I handed him one.  I finished my breakfast  and looked over at him blushing still as he finished his waffle.

_" His face was so close to mine."_  I thought as I went downstairs to check the time and to put my plate away. "It's almost three I better get ready." I told myself while cleaning off my plate and heading for my room to grab clothes. After changing I went back into the bathroom. "I'm going to get your pool I'll be back, stay out of trouble." I said firmly as he looked at me with a mouth full of water. "Oh no, don't you dare." He smirked wickedly thus making me run out of the bathroom in fear of getting wet and having to change again. "Such a smart ass." I whispered to myself as I went down the stairs and out the front door, making my way to Armin's. 

   The sun was out and the breeze was lightly caressing my face as I walked to Armin's. _"I find it kinda funny, I don't know his name nor have I told him mine."_ I thought as I walked  a few more blocks finally reaching Armin's house. I rang the door bell and heard someone approaching the door as it opened. 

"Hey Eren!" Armin greeted me and moved aside to invite me in.

"Hey Armin." I smiled at him and walked in. 

"Pool's in the back, do you need help taking it home?" He asked kindly.

"Nah, I should be good." I said while shaking my head. 

"Alright follow me." Armin nodded toward the door as I followed him. We went through the kitchen then out to the balcony. "Here you go, my grand dad kept it in the box for so long. Once I told him someone wanted it, his face lit up. I could see the relief on his face when I told him." Armin stated while leaning over and grabbing the box.

"All the pieces are in here right?" I asked,taking the box from his arms.

"Yup, I double checked. The filter is in there as well." He tapped on the box lid and said.

"Awesome thanks Armin." I said and turned to leave.

"Hey Eren, don't forget about the meteor shower tonight around two in the morning, I saw on the T.V that there won't be one for another for another six years!" Armin said with a smile and gazed at the light blue sky one more time before we went back inside.

"Really? Dude that's cool I'll diffidently watch it!" I said while thinking _"I wonder if he'd like to watch it with me."_ I opened the front door with my free hand while my thoughts went on about tonight. 

"Anytime see ya!" Armin waved good-bye as I made my way home.  

  As I walked, I decided to run to the market that was in town. I wanted _my_ I mean the merman who was still in my bathroom to be as comfortable as possible in his new environment. I trotted to the pet store and walked into the noisy business. I was lucky Marco was working today. The other employees that work here are lazy and don't help at all. Thankfully he made an effort to actually give a damn about the customers.  

"Hey Marco." I smiled as he looked at me and smiled sweetly.

"Good evening Eren,what brings you in today?" He said while petting the cat that occupied half of the desk.

"I need sea salt for my pool. I want the water to resemble the ocean as much as possible." I said and looked over at the cat and stroked her fur as well. 

"For what?" He tilted his head to the side as I pictured the merman in my head.

"Uh..On Friday I got into an accident in the ocean and Nurse Ral told me to start out small like a pool then try the ocean." I giggled nervously and he looked at the pool box in my arms. 

"Lucky for you I just got a shipment in!  I'll show you where it is c'mon." He said as he hopped over the desk and went down the aisle. I followed him and so did the cat apparently. We went in the back and he grabbed a jar from the middle shelf. "For a pool that size, you may need two." He stated while walking back to the front with two jars in hand. 

"Alright, no prob." I said then realized that I was beginning to miss him, I didn't quite understand why but I felt empty inside as if someone punched a hole in my gut or something. 

"Eren you okay?" Marco asked while ringing up the items. 

"O-oh yeah sorry was day dreaming." I sighed and looked to the side admiring the hard wood floor trying to not think about him.

"Mm hmm, right, don't deny it,Eren, you like someone." Marco giggled as he bagged my things and my cheeks lit up like Christmas lights.

"W-what makes you think that?" I stuttered out while gripping the box tightly trying trying not to lose my cool.

"You've been sighing the whole time you were here silly.  Your total is $10.97 by the way." He put the bag on the counter and the cat put her face in it,being the curious animal she was.

"I have?" I asked while I put the box down and took out  my money.

"Pretty much." He took the money and handed me my change. "I was kidding,have a good one Eren, hope you feel better!" He said while I walked out the door.

"Thanks,see you later!" I said and made my way home. "What if he's right though?" I whispered and looked up at the clouds. "Hey mom, will you be watching the meteor shower tonight with me as well?" I asked the sky and grinned when I felt a light wind brush through my hair. _"I can't wait."_ I thought as I opened the front door.

 

   I walked in the door and heard a loud bang in the bathroom. I jumped then dropped the box and sea salt and ran upstairs to investigate. I went to my room first to grab a weapon (just in case it was in intruder.) I picked up my baseball bat and tip toed to the bathroom door. I gripped the doorknob and swung the door open,holding the bat tightly in my grip.

    "I have a weapon-" I said then snorted at the sight I saw. The merman was out of the tub and was playing with toothpaste. He glanced at me and his eyes went wide.  I laughed and dropped the bat as I walked over to him. "Didn't I tell you _not_ to get into trouble?" I giggled as I grabbed a towel to wipe his face off. He looked down at his tail then back at me with an apologetic look. "Hey, no worries, you scared me I thought someone was hurting you." I said and ruffled his hair and finished cleaning him off. He growled as he fixed his hair and looked at me. "At least you smell good." I smiled and he huffed and slid back into the tub. "I'm gonna set up your pool okay? I'll be back up to get you in a few." He nodded and looked board. 

    Making my way back toward the front door, I picked up the box and salt then went to the backyard. It took about an hour and a half to set it up, however,filling the pool took a bit longer. As the water filled the pool, I read the instructions on the sea salt jars and dumped them in. "I hope he likes this, I can tell he wants out from the tub." I said and wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Let's go get sir-sass-a lot " I smirked at my clever come back while I walked up the steps. "Your pool is filling up, but there is enough for you to swim around for a bit." He nodded and reached for me, his webbed fingers expanding. I blushed as I leaned down and picked him up from the tub. He slipped his arms around my neck like he did when I washed his wound and nuzzled into the crick of my neck. I couldn't help how hot my cheeks were getting as I walked down the stairs and out the backdoor.

    "Here you go." I smiled and he looked at the pool in amazement. "Want to go in?" He nodded eagerly "Alright alright here you go." I said as I put him inside the pool. he swam under water as I watched him poolside.  The water was so clear I could see his scales shimmering from the sunlight even though it was setting. He was beautiful in every way. I don't understand how such beautiful creatures could tear a man apart.  He swam over to me and popped out of the water scaring me out of my thoughts. "Oh geez dude!" I fell back as he snickered and watched me. "Now that you scared the living crap outta me, I never told you my name." I said while brushing my shirt off. "My name is Eren, can you say Eren?" I asked him but all I got was a squirt of water to the face as a response. I'll take that as a no." I chuckled and wiped my face off with my shirt. "What's your name?" I asked. He looked down and sighed. 

   "Can't talk huh?" I said as he shook his head "yes"  then his ears perked up as if he had an idea. "Oh?" I said as he swam to the other side of the pool and pointed to some sand that was in my backyard. "That's sand,what about it?" I asked while looked at where his finger pointed and gazed at him over my shoulder and blushed. He was reaching for me, attempting to grab my shirt in the process as if to get my attention. "What you want out already?" I whined and and he nodded. "I just put you in you pain in the butt." I said and picked him up as he leaned toward the sand. "Stop fidgeting, I don't want to drop you!" I said and knelled down to the sand. 

     He examined it then looked at me. "What?" I asked dumbfounded as he thumbed my forehead out of frustration. "Hey that hurt! What do you want anyw- wait." I said and put my finger into the sand and began to write my name. " Can you write yours?" I looked at him curiously as he began to drag his webbed finger across the warm sand. I watched him as he formed the letters. "Levi, is that your name?" I said toward him and he nodded. _"That's a very beautiful name for someone as gorgeous as you are,"_ I grinned at the thoughts that were going through my head and I started to blush. "That's an interesting name you have Levi." He turned away blushing when I said his name. I giggled and poked his good shoulder. "What's wrong? Do you want to go back into your pool?" I asked and hugged him from behind. I felt his growl from in his lungs through his back and I let go. "S-sorry." He turned around and tackled me to the ground. "Whoa there!" I blushed as his eyes met mine. 

    The urge to kiss his pale lips was unbearable. I never wanted to kiss someone so badly before in my life. He glanced down and put his ear on my chest. "W-what are you doing?" I spat out and blushed more. I was happy that it was now dark out and no one could see us. Levi stayed there for a bit and I guess he was happy to be where he was. I wrapped my arms around him to keep him there and gazed at the night sky, waiting for the meteor shower to start.

    I got up after a few moments and put him back into his pool. "I'll be back okay?" I ran back inside and back into my room to grab my swim trunks and change. It was around one in the morning and I couldn't believe how fast this Saturday went. I went back downstairs and walked out into the backyard and noticed he was looking up at the stars. "H-hey Levi." he turned around and watched me as I walked over to the pool. "May I join you?" I looked to the side and held my arm tightly. He nodded and swam backwards giving me room to get in. Stepping into the pool was cold at first and my skin reacted to it. "Oh, oh that's cold _really_ cold." I started to shiver and noticed he was gone. "Levi?" I asked and looked around for him. "Where'd you go? I said before I felt a hand grip my ankle and pull me under.

     He was looking right at me and smirked. The water didn't sting my eyes that bad due to the salt being a bit different then the ocean's natural sea salt. I shook my head and went back up to the surface. "Hey that's cheating!" I laughed as he poked his head out of the water. "We only have a few minutes until the shower starts I told him and he tilted his head to the side. "Meteor shower silly, I wanted to watch it with you." he looked up at the sky then back at me while he raised an eyebrow. "It didn't start yet." I said while swimming over to where his head was poking out of the water.

    He gazed at me and I looked back at him and smiled while poking his nose. He poked my cheek as a retort and went underwater again. "Oh yeah!?" I inhaled deeply and went under with him. _"This feels like a dream."_ I thought as I reached for his arm. As if reading my mind he swam into my arms and put his forehead on mine. I looked into his amazingly bright silver eyes, as cheesy as it sounds I could get lost in them for a lifetime. I blushed and bit my lip slightly. _"I can't take this anymore I'm going for it."_ I put my hands on his cheeks and leaned in toward him, for the second time today I saw him blush. He met me half way and It felt like my heart was going to throb out of my chest. The pool water moved slightly as I moved my arms to stay under and we both slipped our eyes closed. His arms snaked around my chest like the day he saved my life from the rip current. He pulled my close against his chest as we kissed under the water for the first time with a meteor shower shooting streaks of light above us as our lips moved against each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sassy Merman!Levi is the best. Thank you everyone who has read this and is keeping up with The Ocean between Us.  
> Thank you also for the kudos,bookmarks,comments and taking the time to read this. I appreciate it <3  
> If you have any questions or want to know when the update is, follow me on Tumblr ^-^ My name on there is the same as it is on here, Booksimonseesmorphine


	4. Monday mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Levi?" I said while closing my eyes. He replied with a bump of his nose on mine. "Stay with me for a while okay?" My hands left his face and slid down his muscular arms to wrap around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder. Levi put his arms around my neck and nodded, I felt his hair tickle my cheek and I grinned. "Look Mom, I found someone who makes me happy." My smile widened as I felt the wind shift then him going limp in my arms. I jerked awake and shot a glance down at him. Levi fell asleep in my arms once more. 
> 
> -Side note- The song that Mr. Zacharias played in the gym during the "match" is "Reluctant Heroes" From the anime if you wanted to listen to it while reading the gym segment of this chapter.

I wanted to keep kissing him. His lips tasted sweet despite us both being submerged in saltwater. Unlike him, I can't stay under forever. I shot up to the surface and gasped for air. I panted heavily and leaned against the side of the pool while swinging both arms to each side. I tilted my head back and gazed up at the stars, the meteors were still shooting across the now blackish blue sky by the looks of it, it was almost three a.m. I shivered when I felt slick hands slide up my chest and bit my lip when sharp teeth grazed my neck. _"He has me cornered"_ I thought _"Sneaky ass."_ I looked down at him and met his eyes with mine. If I didn't know better, I'd say my heart stopped right there on the spot. He smirked and dragged his sharp nails down my chest then my stomach and began to nibble on the flesh on my neck. I gasped at the feeling of how sharp his nails were and bit my lip harder trying to suppress a moan. _"Damn it, Mr.Erwin was right. Merman are seductive."_ I pondered, forgetting that my bottom lip was still between my teeth, I tasted blood on my tongue. "Ah shit, I'm bleeding." I groaned causing him to stop and look at me. Levi smirked. God that smirk was enough to drive a man (or at least me) crazy. Levi stuck his tongue out and licked up the blood that was dripping down from my lip and kissed me again. I kissed him back and my cheeks burned with every movement his lips made. He's was driving me nuts and he knew it.  

His lips didn't taste sweet anymore, they tasted like iron and it was awful. I didn't care I wanted him, more than I could ask for,despite it being wrong, wait, was it wrong? To love someone who is only part human? Love is love right? I felt his lips leave mine, glancing up at me with those silver eyes that sent chills down my spine. I put my hands on his cheeks and smiled lightly at him. "Hey Levi?" I said while closing my eyes. He replied with a bump of his nose on mine. "Stay with me for a while okay?" My hands left his face and slid down his muscular arms to wrap around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder. Levi put his arms around my neck and nodded, I felt his hair tickle my cheek and I grinned. _"Look Mom, I found someone who makes me happy."_ My smile widened as I felt the wind shift then him going limp in my arms. I jerked awake and shot a glance down at him. Levi fell asleep in my arms once more. Thankfully tomorrow was Sunday and I could sleep in,hopefully. I knew I couldn't sleep in the pool with him as much as I wanted to. I kissed his forehead and nuzzled my cheek against his head one more time before I got out of the pool.

  Going back into the house seemed like it took a life time. I felt like I was going slower than molasses and my limbs felt like jell-o. I slipped out of my trunks once in my room and put my boxers along with a tank top on. Moaning in relief, I mumbled into my pillow "My god, I'm so comfortable. Never wanna get up. Forever.my pillow s'good" I felt light headed before I fell asleep soundly. I slept until around five in the afternoon and rolled out of bed to go check up on Levi. I was a bit more alive now then I was last night and made my way down stairs while rubbing my eyes. "Levi, babe,you out here?" I was out of it and talking to an empty hallway, why the hell was I calling him babe? Seriously?

    "Who's Levi, Eren?" I heard a female voice pierce my ears from the kitchen and I rapidly opened my eyes. Shit. I thought and saw Mikasa, Annie and Sasha in the kitchen munching on some peanut butter cookies they made last night.

"Uh..He's m-my best friend." My ass was done, might as well kiss it goodbye.

"Best friend that you call babe?" Sasha cocked an eyebrow while munching on a cookie.

"Y-yeah" I slipped up big time. The room felt like it was spinning.

"Where did you meet Levi from,Eren?" Mikasa asked and looked at me directly in the eyes.

"School." I spat out while clenching my fists in attempt to relax.

"What class?" Mikasa questioned, I felt like I was being interrogated . One on the many wonderful perks of having her as a sister.

"Science." I said while looking her in the eye,attempting to look serious so she wouldn't see that I was lying through my teeth. Technically, I wasn't lying about the "meeting in science part." That was true.

"Why haven't I met him?" She pressed and moved closer to me. "And why is your lip busted?" Annie studied my every move while Sasha at her cookies.

"I-I just don't know Mikasa it just sorta happened." I looked to the side and rubbed my neck. "You know how clumsy I am." I stated as her expression grew in anger.

"Eren, why didn't you tell me?" She sneered as she shook her head. "Let me guess, you busted your lip open because you bit it. You could have called and asked for help if you forgot how to eat" I was silent. Why was she so far up my ass today? I can't tell her about Levi. She'll kill us both or worse. I shivered at the gory battle scene that played in my head. She sighed and looked at me. "You're a mess Eren. I can't leave you alone for a weekend can I?" She pivoted on her heel and went back into the kitchen with Annie and Sasha.

"Guess not, but I'm 17 Mikasa not 5 and you're not my mother. You are my sister. Learn your role and do me a favor, stop treating me like a kid." Now I was getting aggravated while a thousand and two thoughts ran through my head. _"What if she finds Levi?" "How can I explain to my sister that I made out with a merman for a good fifteen minutes?" Shit_ I thought, this is going to be harder than I thought when it comes to seeing him. How am I going to keep him hidden? _"Mom, what do I do..?"_ Mikasa kept quite and nodded, she looked at her friends and avoided my gaze. I was stuck again, between being a major asshole toward my sister and keeping a secret.

 

     Everyone was eerily silent until I turned and stomped out to the backyard. Leaving the girls in the kitchen behind me.  I sat there on my balcony and felt my eyes well up with tears. I have never been this confused in my life about anything. I felt lost and abandoned,it felt like hands were wrapping around my throat and choking me. Guilt is a heavy burden and what makes it worse is that I have school tomorrow. "Damn it" I whimpered and buried my face in my knees until I heard a soft shift in the pool water,but I didn't look up,I don't care.   _"Don't look at me Levi, I'm weak."_ I thought to myself. I swear he can read minds or something I heard a soft yet loud thud, like dropping a sack of potatoes on a carpet then a growl of aggravation. I peered from under my hair and saw him laying there with a scowl. He had the _"This-is-bull-shit"-I-can't-believe-you-didn't-help-me-out-of-the-damn-pool-you-ass."_ face. He was pissed to put it simply.

    I frowned and watched him roll onto his side and crawl toward me. His tail scraping against the grass as he made his way to me,leaving a trail of water behind him. He growled to get my attention,but I shook my head. Again he growled but this time it sounded urgent. I looked up and saw him reaching to grab my hand.I bit my lip as I reached for him as well. I felt his hand slip into mine halfway due to the webbing blocking us from holding hands completely.  I crawled over to him than laid my head on his shoulder. I wanted him, shit I _needed_ him.

     He nudged my cheek with his nose and attempted to make me look up. He's stubborn like I am okay maybe a bit worse than I am. I didn't respond until I felt a webbed finger tuck under my chin and pull upwards. "Levi...I-" I started but he shook his head "no" and kissed my forehead. He already knew I was going to apologize again for something that wasn't my fault, and as an acceptance of my apology he kissed me tenderly on my forehead. Gazing up at him made me start to believe that the whole Mermaid/man legend was bull. I'd have to have a chat with Mr.Erwin tomorrow about rewriting the text book.

     I decided to get up an hour early to get ready for school and to talk to Levi before I had to leave. After I packed the last of my things,I looked at the clock that was suspended in our kitchen. _"5:28, Mikasa will be awake in an hour."_ I silently sneaked out of the house and smiled when I closed the door behind me. I went to his "home" and said"Levi, you up?"  in a hushed tone. Realizing that he was in fact awake, I saw him swim around the pool and glance up at me though the water. He shifted and popped up while leaning against the side of the pool. "I don't want to go to school." I whined as he began to pout. "I wanna stay here, with you." I looked at him and rested my palm on his cheek as he leaned into it. His skin was always cold but with a slight warm touch. "You wish I could stay to huh?" I asked as he nodded and grabbed my shirt to pull me closer. "Ugh you got me all wet again." I sighed but accepted him embrace.  

      Why can't moments like this and the meteor shower last? Why was it so hard to let him go even though I would be back in a few hours? I felt like I was trapped in one of those old school romance movies. It was almost time for Mikasa to wake up and I kissed his nose,then his lips. "I'll be back I promise okay?" I whispered against his mouth and he nodded while pressing his lips to mine again. "Stay hidden,please." My look of concern got his attention and he shook his head "yes". After saying good bye, I went back inside to change my shirt then went to  the kitchen and ate some breakfast. Mikasa came down stairs fully dressed and came into the kitchen with me to make herself some breakfast.  She was giving me the silent treatment. I don't blame her though, I deserve it. I glanced at her over my cup of milk and watched her make her food. Mikasa always had toast and coffee in the morning. I sighed and put my cup down. "Mikasa?" I looked at her back while she ignored me. 

"Yes?" She said finally braking the silence between us. 

"I'm sorry" I said and felt terrible, I was being such a jerk to her when all she wanted to do was help.

"It's alright,don't worry about it. We have to go get Armin,are you ready to go?" She turned to look at me as I nodded and feeling a bit better about myself and the entire situation.

   Monday mornings weren't always bad,some can be better, some can be worse. We picked up Armin and made it to our first period class as the bell rang loudly. Mikasa,Armin and I took our seats as Mr. Jinn wrote down the objectives for today's lesson. 

"Good morning class. I will be taking attendance in a bit. Today's lesson will be on Literature of the Middle ages." He turned around and smiled warmly at his students. I swear this happens every morning. The fan girls squeal in delight at his voice. Damn you'd think he was opening the gates of heaven or something. I snickered and Armin smiled over at me and giggled as well then passed me a note when the teacher's back was turned again.

_"How are you feeling,was your weekend well?"_ He wrote after taking out his textbook. 

_"Petty good I guess. And yeah it was. I met a new friend Friday night."_ I wrote back and handed it to him after I took my book out as well.

_"Oh,yeah? Who? Where?? DETAILS!!! :D"_ He replied and I thought the smiley face at the end was cute. Armin always knows how to make serious conversations weather they be vocal or written somewhat funny.  

 I giggled and shook my head _"I stopped by Marco's shop after I visited you and met him there."_

   I passed the note back as Mr. Jinn turned back around. "Please read pages 165-175, than answer the questions on page 176. I will collect them at the end of class and hand out your project papers tomorrow morning, make sure you have a subject ready and I will approve it. Also ladies,please do not do your projects on me or Mr.Erwin. We are not apart of Literature and Mr. Erwin's "sex appeal" is and will most definitely not go down in history." He stated and chuckled as did a majority of the class except his "fans".

"Aw,darn I really wanted to choose Mr.Erwin for my subject." I spat while snapping my fingers causing Armin and I to laugh to the point of tears. Mikasa let out a giggle as well and shook her head.

"Many apologies Eren." Mr.Jinn said with a laugh at the end sensing my sarcasm. "Maybe next time." 

"Alright sir." I sighed and acted upset causing him to shake his head and sigh while he took out his text book. 

"If anyone needs help just let me know." The class was silent as we worked. Armin handed me the note again then acted like he was working.

_"oh, is he nice? What's his name?"_ I was battling with myself, should I tell him? Armin can keep a secret. 

_"His name is Levi, and well I didn't meet him at Marco's I met him on the beach Friday night."_ I handed the paper back to him and he looked confused. 

_"On the beach? Really? What was he doing there?" Mid-night surfing?"_ He giggled lightly while tossing me the note then planted his nose in his book.

_"haha very funny Armin. No he was hurt so I helped him out. If I tell you anymore, you must promise not to tell ANYONE. Mikasa doesn't know so please keep it that way!!_  I underlined "anyone" and wrote it pretty big. I think he got the hint when I saw him arch an eyebrow and look at me then turned the paper around to write on the back. 

_"You have my word as a best friend. I promise."_  He handed it to me and smiled lightly reassuring me that he was being honest. 

_"You won't believe this,but Levi is a merman. I saved him Friday night because he got stabbed by a fisherman."_ When I gave Armin the note his eyes bulged wide as wide as bowling balls. He looked over at me and I nodded.

_"Are you serious!? I want to meet him!! Please please Eren!?!?!?!"_ I noticed he was giving me the puppy dog eyes out of the corner of my eye and I tried so hard not to laugh. I folded up the note and nodded as he whispered "yes" and went back to his work.

After Armin, Mikasa and I handed in our classwork, Mr.Jinn gave us a project paper as we left. Mikasa went the opposite way as Armin and I went to Science. Ms. Hange was already in the class when the students flooded in. She didn't look like herself she seemed lost in a way or just really worried. I couldn't tell so I took my seat and placed by bag on the floor.

   "Good morning class, today we'll be watching a movie on sea life. Going to take it easy for a bit." She got up and turned the lights off and placed a disc in the DVD player as the blue light lit up the white screen that was pulled down before we got there. The movie was a documentary on the Atlantic ocean and other bodies of water around the world. I started to nod off in the middle of the film. You know something is boring if Armin is drifting to sleep, he never falls asleep no matter what,but I guess this film was on his "sleep during class" list. Might as well rest up for gym next period, Mr. Zacharias liked to push us to do our physical best and today's lesson was Dodge ball. I need all the energy I can get in order to beat that cocky ass Jean Kirschtein.  Science went by so slow that I wanted to pull out my hair. Dear lord. My complaints got cut short when the bell for gym rang. Armin and I were the first out the door until I heard a familiar voice call my name from behind me.

"Hey Yeager, ready to get your ass handed to ya in gym?" I stopped in the hall and groaned it was him.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you, Kirschtein?" I retorted as I looked at him over my shoulder. Armin stopped with me and waved to Marco who was behind Jean.

"Hey Marco and Jean!" Armin smiled as did Marco and waved.

"Hey Armin, that movie was pretty boring huh?" Marco came from behind Jean and started walking with Armin to the gym leaving us behind.

"Damn that's gotta burn, Jean, your boy toy left ya." I smirked and stared at him, dragging a finger down my cheek to resemble a tear.

"Haha forgot to laugh at your shitty joke. Anyway, I'll wipe the floor with you today, Yeager." He walked past me and bumped into my shoulder on purpose.

"Yeah,okay we'll see about that." I yelled back and went to the gym as well.  

 "Alright class! I have arranged teams for you to join in our game today. The Captains will be wearing Red and Yellow pinnies." Mr. Zacharias bellowed as he stood in the middle of the gym. " Captain of the Red team will be Yeager." I got up and took the Red pinnie and stood next to the teacher. "The Captain of the Yellow team will be." He started and Jean smirked at the thought of the teacher choosing him as he stared at me. " Leonhart, you're the Yellow team's Captain ." Annie got up and walked over and took the Yellow team's pinnie. I laughed lightly as Jean had the look of his ego getting blown when his name wasn't called. "First person on the Red team is Armin. First on Yellow is Mina.  As he went on, my team was decent so far. Once he ended off the list, I had Armin, Mikasa, Marco, Reiner, Krista and Ymir. Annie had Bertolt, Jean, Sasha, Connie, Mina and Thomas.  

"Ready? Begin!" He blew his whistle and I ran forward to grab a ball as did the rest of my team and Annie's. I was looking for Jean to wipe the smug look off his face from earlier. Luckily I found him and threw the ball, but I hit Thomas instead in the back. "Wagner you're out come sit on the side line!" Mr. Zacharias yelled out as Thomas walked over and sat. "sorry dude!" I yelled over until I noticed a ball coming full speed at me and I ducked. 

"Damn it you got lucky Yeager!" Jean yelled over and huffed as he threw another ball, but I ducked again and didn't realize that Marco was behind me until I heard a "ball to face" noise and a groan behind me. I looked behind me and made a face and mouthed "ouch" and noticed Jean looking guilty. 

"Marco you okay?" I asked and offered a hand to help him up. His face was beat red and the force of the ball could have rearranged his freckles on his face. 

"Yeah, I'm ow." He mumbled and took my hand as his nose began to bleed. 

"Bott! You're out come over here."  Mr. Zacharias waved him over and Jean apologized a million times, he was gonna get it when class was done. As the class began to slowly get kicked from the game, it was only Mikasa and I left on the Red team and Jean and Annie left on the Yellow. I aimed for Jean as Mikasa aimed for Annie. We were about to throw the final blow when the bell rang and the teacher blew his whistle. "That's it! This will continue Wednesday, have a good rest of the day." Mr. Zacharias said as we all left. I heard Jean grumble and complain. "This isn't over Yeager!" He called out before I left the gym. 

   Math was next with Mr.Gunther Schultz. He was a nice guy an all but never really taught anything. Just review and attempt to be a genius.  His class was boring and dragged by. Next class was History and Armin was excited for both the class and to come visit Levi. I couldn't wait to see him and tell him about my day and ask him how his day was even though he couldn't talk, I was still looking forward to seeing him. "Afternoon everyone, our next Myth and Legend will be chosen by Eren." Mr.Erwin looked at me then glanced down at his clip board with the names of our study subjects. _"Damn I'm getting picked on a lot today."_ I thought and nodded. "I want number 6 please." I stated and wonder what I choose. 

Mr.Erwin snorted and began to write the subject on the board. "Eren choose Centaurs as today's subject." He went to hit the lights and grabbed the projector. "Centaurs are half man half horse and-"

"Cough Jean cough" I said and smirked as I glanced at him from over my shoulder. He gave me a dirty look and flipped me off. Mr.Erwin snickered and shook his head.

"I saw that one coming Yeager, smooth." He said and turned the projector on and began his lesson. I took down notes but this subject wasn't nearly as interesting as the Mermaid/man one. I kept looking at the clock to count down the minutes until I get to see him. I tried to distract myself with my work but my eyes always fell back on the clock. Finally the bell rang and Mr.Erwin told us the homework for tonight. Armin and I went into the hall but Mikasa grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Eren, I need to stay after school today,will you be alright or should I skip?" Mikasa was Vice president of the student council and had a meeting tonight about something. 

"He'll be fine Mikasa, I'm hanging with him to study for our History test that is on Thursday. " Armin chimed in and smiled at her. She looked at both of us,sighed and nodded. "Alright, Armin please make sure he's okay?" Mikasa looked at Armin as he nodded and she went off to the class room where her meetings usually were.

   Armin and I made our way back to my house talking about nonsense really until we got to my front door. "Armin please keep this between us. I don't want anyone knowing about him." I looked at Armin as I opened the door and laid my things by the kitchen after walking in.

"I promise,Eren, you have my word." Armin shut the door behind him and dropped his things next to mine. 

"Thank you,follow me." I walked toward the backyard as my heart began to pound in my chest. I opened the door and told Armin to stay on the balcony and I'll get him . "Levi, I'm home." I said to the pool as Armin looked at me like I was nuts when he didn't pop up. I turned to look at Armin when his face looked horror stricken. 

"E-Eren, i-is that him?" He pointed behind me and I felt arms around my neck and a violent growl in my ear. Levi was getting defensive and protecting me from Armin, his teeth were bared and he had a death grip on me.

"Y-yup,that's h-him" I jumped and looked at him from behind my shoulder. "Levi, relax." I said as his growl grew more angry and his expression grew darker. 

"I don't think he like me Eren, he looks really mad. "Armin began to back up as I flicked Levi in the nose to get him to knock it off. 

"Hey, relax, he's friendly Levi. He won't hurt you or me. I promise." I placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly on the corner of his mouth. I was thankful Armin was judgmental. "Armin this is Levi, Levi, this is Armin. My best friend." Levi growled and hid his face behind my shoulder but never took his eyes off of Armin. Armin waved and looked at me for help. "Come here Armin." I waved him over as he walked slowly and Levi gripped tighter. "Levi, relax dear." I tried to soothe him but he was ignoring me.

"Eren, I don't understand." Armin was in front on me and reached a hand out to touch Levi's head. "He's so protective of you." Levi hissed and Armin took his hand away.

"Neither do I but we've been through a lot." I looked at him as he glanced at me for a moment then back at Armin. I sighed and turned in his arms and pressed my forehead on his when his face was close to mine. Levi bumped me in the cheek with his nose and looked down then back at me. "Relax, I promise he's okay." I whispered to Levi as Armin came closer and watched us fascinated. I nodded to Armin and he placed a hand on Levi's shoulder and his eyes went wide.

"Just like the legend." I heard him whisper and Levi looked at Armin as he examined Levi's tail. "It's impossible" Armin said dumbfounded as I shook my head.

"Better believe it, Armin, he's real and in front of us."  I smiled at my merman and stroked his cheeks with my thumbs attempting to calm him down. I felt Levi begin to relax in my grip as Armin was silently studying him. "There you go, all better" I whispered again and Armin looked at me.

"He understands you?" He put a finger to his lips and began to think as I nodded. "Interesting, but aren't you afraid he'll try to kill you?" Armin backtracked to Friday's lesson. 

"Yes, but trust is a powerful thing, Armin." I looked into Levi's eyes as he rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. He was now fully relaxed and seemed to accept Armin as an acquaintance. "We watched the meteor shower last night while Mikasa was over Annie's." I stated and took my hands away from Levi as he began to swim around in his pool. 

"Really? Huh this is interesting. I still want to know why he choose you. Maybe I'll ask Mr.-" 

"No!" I interrupted him mid sentence and looked at him as he jerked out of his thoughts. "You can not tell anyone!" 

"Tell anyone what?" I heard from the back door and saw Mikasa standing there with her arms crossed and looking interested in our conversation.

_"Shit."_ My eyes went wide as did Armin's. Thankfully Levi was underwater at the time,but I knew I had a lot of explaining to do. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Marco and Armin are terrible at sports and it shows so bad in this one. XD This chapter was so much fun to write,like the previous chapters have been. I dunno if anyone remembers for their schools years (or if you are still in school.) Those pinnies the teacher made you were during a game to define you teams drove me nuts. I hated those things like eww -shivers-   
> Anyway thank you everyone for the Kudos, comments,bookmarks and reading! <3


	5. Family Values and Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I reached out and caressed the wooden picture frame, dragging my fingers across the slightly dated photo. "We all looked so happy back then..Mom,Dad,Mikasa and I." My brows knitted together as tears streaked down my cheeks. "Mom..why?" I ask as I looked up through my lashes at her smiling face. "Why did you have to go..?" Tears hit the hardwood floor as I caved in on myself. I knew she wouldn't like seeing me like this, mourning her death rather then talking to her about the good times. I looked at her as my finger nails dug into my palms."
> 
> Side note- Listen to "Best day of my Life" by American Authors while reading the last bit of this chapter "my idea consisted of" is where it starts <3
> 
> Also: prepare for more feels.

  "Eren, care to explain what's going on here?" Mikasa asked as she walked toward Armin and I clearly in wonderment of the situation.

  "I thought you had to stay after?" I asked and tried to hide my panic with a brave face, I was failing miserably. _" I didn't want her to find out about him yet. Then again I rather Mikasa find out than my Father."_ I felt my palms begin to sweat from the panic.

   "It got canceled last minuet, our teacher went home sick last period and didn't make an announcement about it. Now, tell me Armin." She glanced over at him as she stopped in front of me. He swallowed a lump forming in his throat, his bright blue eyes getting bigger from the pressure. Mikasa and I both knew that Armin would never lie matter of fact I don't think he _can_ lie.

"Uh..E-Eren and I were uh.." He started and I swear he felt my eyes burn into the side of his head.

_"Please Armin for the love of God do not blow this."_

"Eren and you were what? And why is there a swimming pool in our back yard?" She asked while raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms. Mikasa's eyes never left mine as rage filled up my thoughts. I can't stand it, this panic is going to eat me alive. I felt like I was going to vomit I was that scared of her finding out about Levi. I was going to tell her honestly I was,but never found the right time.

"Mikasa.." I said in a hushed tone and looked down shame paying me a visit and eating away at me. "I'm sorry.." Why was I apologizing? What am I doing? What is Levi even doing? I haven't heard the water move for a bit now, maybe he got the picture and stayed under.

  "Eren, I don't need an apology, I _need_ an explanation." She starred at me with both a confused and concerned expression. "You've been acting weird since Friday and it's starting to worry me. What are you hiding from me? Do you think I'll be mad at you if you told me or I found out? Seriously Eren.." Her dark eyes moved from mine to the ground until she pulled me into a hug and held me tightly. Her arms wrapped around my neck while Armin was still in shock and glancing between the pool and the embrace. I felt my shoulder become damp while she cried. I hurt her again. As much of a hard ass she may be, she always treats me like I'm her child and not her brother. She has that motherly vibe to her, it's weird. I got knocked out of my thoughts when I felt her jump slightly in my arms.

  "Eren..." She whispered, I sensed the slightest amount of fear in her voice as she gripped tighter.

"Yes..?" I asked in a hushed down voice as I looked at her from the corner of my eye. Her pupils were blown up and her face was inches from Levi's. His shiny eyes pretty much stabbing into her's as she starred at the creature in the pool.

  "Is this that Levi person you were talking about?" Her eyes never left his as I nodded slowly. I heard Levi growl low as if to warn her to back off and leave. The same growl he gave Armin just minutes before. Levi wrapped his arms around my waist and pull me toward his chest. I could feel his wet cheek on my shoulder and his hot breath on my skin. I was being fought over by my sister and Levi. I felt anger bubble in my chest as I sighed and tore myself away from both of them. Mikasa and Levi looked at me as I clenched my fists by my sides and bit my lip until I spoke again.

"Mikasa this is Levi. I met him when I ran off Friday night at the beach. He was wounded and I helped him recover while you were gone." I felt the truth slip from my lips. I couldn't stop myself from talking as I continued. "I asked Armin on Saturday if he had a pool I could use for him while he healed. I kept him in the bathtub too long and I went to Marco's shop to pick up some sea salt to make him at least somewhat comfortable. I didn't want you to find out about him so soon, but what's done is done." I looked at her straight in the eyes not holding any thoughts back. "Levi is not a human. He's a merman, and I am keeping him here by my side. Ether you're with me or against me, but my mind is set." I stood my ground not taking my eyes off of my sister. Her expression went from scared to now a soft smile as she sighed and shook her head.

"Eren, Look.." She started until I cut her off, totally forgetting the Armin was still with us.

"Mikasa don't try to bribe me out of this! I told you I'm-" She whacked me upside the head than crossed her arms and looked at me sternly.

 "Would you shut up and listen Eren! I'll stand by your side! If you want to care for someone who is wounded fine! Just let me help you! Damn!" Mikasa never yelled but when she did, she meant it. With a shocked expression I stared at her mouth a gape.

"Seriously?" I looked at her in disbelief as she nodded, I could hear Armin let out a breath that seemed like he was holding in for an eternity.

"Yes,Eren..Seriously." She knelled down and helped me to my feet as we both looked at Levi. He wasn't happy to see Mikasa in the slightest bit. His eyes peered out of the pool as he growled then sank underwater.

"I can see he is the jealous type." Mikasa looked at the pool then at me. I sighed and nodded in agreement. This was going to be one hell of a long afternoon.

   Mikasa and Levi started off on a rough note and I could tell they were going to fight here and there but not always. I was just happy Mikasa was with me and not against me. So much has happened in one day and poor Armin just _had_ to be in the middle of it. It was around six o'clock in the afternoon when things seemed to calm down, Armin went home and Mikasa stayed outside with me to talk for a bit before she went back inside to start on homework.

 "Jeez.." I huffed and sat on the cool grass leaning back on my palms. Levi peered at me over the poolside and growled. "What's wrong?" I asked while arching an eyebrow.He ignored the question and growled louder.

 "Levi? Earth to Levi come in Levi." I tilted my head to the side as he ducked underwater then came out to flop over the side and out of the pool while he hissed at me.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked as I backed up slightly. He gripped the grass under his webbed fingers tightly as water trickled down his pale complexion. I remained quite as he slithered over closer to me and planted his scaly behind in my lap. He wrapped his arms around my neck tightly and shoved his face into my neck. If anything I was more confused then happy.

  He stuck his tongue out to lick my jugular as I shivered. "W-what are you.Ow!" I jerked in his grip as he sunk his sharp fangs into my neck enough to leave a mark, but not enough to make me bleed. "S-shit ow! What was that for!?" I barked out while gripping his hair on the back of his head. All I got in response was a growl and a shake of his head. Finally he let go to latch on to my forearm and bit into that as well. "Would you s-stop!? You're hurting me!" I teared up until he got up and went to the sand that still had his name written in it. I whimpered and glanced at his shoulder blades move with every letter he wrote.  

  Levi looked at me over his shoulder and motioned for me to come to him with a nod. I got up and held my fresh wound as I walked over to him. In the sand it read _"Marking MY territory."_ Mikasa was right, he was the jealous type. I looked down at him as he glared up at me. "Levi..really?" I asked as I sat down beside him. _"I'm already yours why can't you see that..?"_ I thought as I watched him look uneasy as he wrote in the sand again. "

_'I'm sorry,Eren.."_ I wrapped my arms around his muscular waist and pulled him into my lap,then whispered in his ear.

"No need to apologize."  I kissed his neck, making sure not to hit his gills in the process. I trailed my lips back up toward his when he slid his arms around my neck and nipped on my lower lip softy this time. I sucked in a breath and latched my lips onto his. He kissed me back and tried to deepen the kiss, but as much as it killed me, I had to cut him off. "I have to go do homework and get some sleep I'll see you in the morning." I put him back into his pool and made my way back up to my room. I had a half day tomorrow thankfully, but I still needed sleep for the horrid three hours I'd be away from him.

_Passing out was out of the question. I woke up in a dark room and searched my surroundings. Why did this place look so familiar? I wondered to myself as I ran my fingers through my hair. Getting up was a challenge, but I got it my second or third time around. Walking in the black abyss seemed meaningless what I wanted to know was where the hell was Levi?_

_"Levi?" I asked the darkness but got no response. It seemed that I was running in circles and getting nowhere. "Levi!?" I called as panic crept into my voice and train of thought. I heard groaning then began to run to what I hoped was were my beloved was. "That can't be him, he can't speak. I heard him growl and hiss plenty of times but never speak. The screams got louder as I stopped dead in my tracts. My heart felt like it was falling to pieces. Levi was being manhandled by people who looked like scientist. "Let him go!" I opened my mouth but nothing came out. No words not even a breath. Levi struggled against one of them, he sunk his claws into the face of his captor and took a chunk of it clean off. My eyes went wide as I attempted to move back. "Levi.." I whimpered as he kept struggling. He dug his nails into the shoulder of the victim and reached for me. His eyes wide and afraid, "Eren!" I heard him scream-_

  "Don't kill him!" I gasped and shot up of my bed, my breath coming in fast pants. Reaching a shaking hand to move my hair from my forehead I attempted to relax. Having a thousand and five thoughts running through my head made me dizzy as I stood up to gaze at my alarm clock. _"3:47 a.m Tuesday"_ it read as walked to the door and down the hallway.

   The house was dark and quite despite my footsteps making the floor creek here and there. I admired all the pictures that were hung up on our narrow walls until I starred straight ahead and saw a family portrait hanging above a small desk. I reached out and caressed the wooden picture frame, dragging my fingers across the slightly dated photo. "We all looked so happy back then..Mom,Dad,Mikasa and I." My brows knitted together as tears streaked down my cheeks. "Mom..why?" I ask as I looked up through my lashes at her smiling face. "Why did you have to go..?" Tears hit the hardwood floor as I caved in on myself. I knew she wouldn't like seeing me like this, mourning her death rather then talking to her about the good times. I looked at her as my finger nails  dug into my palms. "I swear I will make you proud Mom." I turned my head and starting walking down the stairs.

  If I didn't know any better, I thought she was watching me climb down the steps with that warm motherly smile she always wore in pictures. When I hit the bottom step I peered at the backdoor. _"Wonder if he's asleep."_  I pondered, deciding against it I settled for a cup of water instead. I was left alone in the kitchen, with the silence, the darkness and my thoughts. I felt lost again and had a feeling of worry stuck in my mind as wind rustled the curtains in the window above the stove.

  _"I'll go check on him."_ Setting the half empty cup down on the counter I trotted over to the back door, shutting it behind me. Mid morning air blew right through me, my skin grew goosebumps in retaliation. I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled lightly at the pool. It was silent besides the ripples in the water when the wind brushed through it every so often. I walked forward and rested my hands on the piping. My heart felt warm and butterflies assaulted my stomach when I saw him sleeping soundly on the pool floor. His pitch black hair floated around his face while a cheek rested on a pale hand. " _I wish I could sleep besides you."_ I thought as I watched him for a bit, dipping my fingers in the warm yet cold water. Sighing heavily I pulled my hand out to grab a chair off the balcony and placed it where I once stood. _"This will have to do for now.."_ I thought while my head leaned into my palm. I fell asleep almost immediately.

    Half days are the best days in a school year. All I had to do was get through English, Science and since it was Tuesday, I had Home EC instead of Gym. Armin met Mikasa and I at school today because of his Grandparents having to run to town to pick up things for dinner later on. English class was the usual. Fan girls squealing when ever Mr.Jinn spoke and Ms. Hange's class was just another boring movie. Then comes Home EC which was taught  by the "ever so happy" Oluo Bozado. I sat down between Armin and Mikasa while our teacher strolled in. "Tch." I cocked an eyebrow _"dear lord please not a lecture on stupid things or about your undying love for Nurse Ral.."_ I sighed as he taught us how to cook pancakes. As you can imagine, I was not allowed near a stove so I just sat in my seat watching Armin make perfect batches of pancakes while Connie burned his.  I swear this teacher get's hurt on purpose just so he can see the nurse every time. 

_"Well if Levi was my nurse I would visit him all the time seeing him in a nurse outfit all tight around his-Whoa WHOA there Eren calm your hormones."_ I shook my head vigorously and hit my head on the desk. "Can I go home now?" I muttered into the table. The classroom was loud so no one heard me. The final bell rang the entire class ran out, it was a beautiful day outside and in all honesty, I just wanted to see Levi. Sighing I put my things away then started walking home. Armin and Mikasa stayed after to talk to Mr. Oluo and told me to go ahead and that they would catch up in a few. I walked in silence until I stepped in a puddle. "Oh damn it." I sighed aggravated but my expression changed when a wicked smirk tugged at me cheeks. I had an idea.

 

 The idea consisted of me dropping my things in the doorway and digging out my old water gun. Levi had a bad, well good habit of scaring the crap out of me when ever I came home. PAY BACK TIME! I snickered as I walked down the stairs to the kitchen to fill it up then go to get my revenge. 

    " _Now, where are you?"_ I thought and poked my head from the far end of the pool, my water gun in hand. _There was no way he'd beat me this time_. I creep on the side of the pool, the water was unusually quite. _"Playing possum, I won't fall for it!"_ I smirked and heard him flinch in the pool thus making me shoot up and pointed my gun at nothing but normal pool water. "The hell?" I looked around in my backyard then down at the pool. "Levi?" I cocked an eye brow. The silence was broken when I heard someone emerge from the water with a loud "splash" and a growl. I turned around and my eyes went wide.

_Oh shit._

   I felt the sheer force of his weight when he tackled me causing me to crack my ass on the ground with him on top of me. _"You sneaky ass."_ were my final thoughts while my weapon went flying from my grip. I held him tightly while he smothered me with wet kisses and tight embraces. He was so damn adorable when I came home from school. "I have an idea, let's go to the beach!" I smiled and poked his nose as he nodded in agreement.

    I giggled as he slid off so I could go get my trunks from my closet and my surf board. Returning to him was quite amusing. He was literately _hopping_ with excitement. "Ready?" I grinned down at him as he reached for me to pick him up. Groaning I attached my Velcro band around my wrist and picked him up. I opened the fence's door and jogged toward the ocean. The sand was warm between my toes as the wind blew through our bangs, I gave Levi an evil smirk and ran toward the ocean with Levi gripping my shoulders and my board dragging behind us. Seeing his face twist with discomfort made me laugh as I shook my head. We finally got to the ocean I put him down and watched him glide into the sea to dive in. Following his lead, I went in as well waiting for a decent wave to come along. I smirked when I noticed one and turned to swim away from it, getting into position to ride the wave.

  My pulse pumping in my ears, the confidence radiating off of my entire being."I got this!" Nope. I in fact _did not_ have this. I crashed. I shot up and spat salt water out and shuttered at the taste. I saw Levi poke his head out from where he was in the sea and smirk. "Hey cut me some slack!" I laughed and tried again while I got back on my board. This time I did it. Repeating the actions I did earlier, I got a good grip on my board after swimming away and stood up. The wave was starting to crash in on it's self as I surfed into the walls of falling water. I smiled as I surfed the wave from the inside, dragging my hand against it's walls.

 "This is awesome!" I screamed as my heart raced with adrenaline. The ocean sprayed my face with droplets of moisture as I gracefully rode the wave, my hand still dragging a streak of light blue from behind me. What made my smile widen was noticing Levi swimming in the wave beside me. The sun reflected his beauty in every way, shape, and form when his tail pushed him forward, when the sun illuminated his skin. He was breathtaking. As the wave died out, I laughed and fell on purpose this time. The water was warm as it swallowed me whole, my board still attached to my wrist bobbed back up to the surface but I stayed under. Levi swam toward me and smirked. I smiled back while my hair danced around in the water. Finally in my grip I slid my hands on his cheeks while he rested our foreheads together. I felt complete and whole when I was with him. I had a feeling that this was going to be one of the best days of my life and it was all thanks to him. My one and only Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are going to be the death of me TT_TT.
> 
> Sorry about the wait! I just got home from being on vacation :) This chapter was literately written in a laundry mat, on a bus back to my hotel with 3% battery life left on my cell, on the bus ride to the airport and on the plane back home.   
> Thank you everyone who has been reading, commenting, bookmarking and Kudos I appreciate it so much! <3


	6. Confessions at High Tide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Levi..?" I asked quietly as he looked over at me, the moon light hitting his eyes making them look darker then they should be. I blushed lightly and played with the sand nonchalantly looking at him. "Remember when I asked you if you'd stay with me for a while?" He nodded and blushed. "W-will you..or do you want to go back home to the ocean..?" His eyes went wide then narrow. He looked like he was fighting with himself as he gave me a sadden look just as he was beginning to write something. I tried to swallow my tears while I had the feeling of my heart shattering into pieces when I read what was written in the sand."

  If I could use one word to describe Levi is was perfection. I locked my lips against his as memories of the meteor shower flooded into my mind. From the day he saved my life to the day I brought him home. Even though it was a few days ago, I felt undoubtedly close to him. Like he was an internal organ I needed in order to live. He was my heart and I _(hopefully)_ was his. Without him, would leave me empty and homesick. The question on having him stay with me or go back home has be biting me in the butt lately..I don't want to lose him, but what if he has a family back "home"? What if he's homesick? What would his fam-

_Damn it._

  Tomorrow was Wednesday and _my_ father was to be coming home on Thursday. How am I going to hide him? Knowing my father, he would want to poke at Levi and experiment on him. Like the two people attempted to do in my nightmare. I want to keep him here by my side whether he's human or not. Color me selfish I guess. But this isn't about me,it's about him. I have no choice, I was born human and will remain this way. It's his choice if he wants to keep living in a pool in my backyard,or going back to the vast open seas. Honestly, I hope he chooses to stay here. My lungs felt like they were going to collapse.

  I ripped my lips away from his and swam to the surface to gasp for air. Breathing heavily, my chest falling and coming back up. My head tilted back slightly dipping into the water. I shivered at the feeling of his claws gliding up my thighs. It was getting dark and not a soul was on the beach. "L-Levi.." I gasped as his nails sunk deeper into my flesh, his eyes focused on every expression I was giving. I nodded my head toward the beach and he shook his head _"yes"_ then following me into shallow water. My legs felt like jelly as I fell forward onto the shore. Panting heavily, I groaned as the sensation of nails returned to my thighs. I tilted my head up and watched him glide in between my legs.

_" My god this is like a dream."_ I thought as he planted kisses up my chest to my lips as I snaked my arms around his neck. Our kiss kept going at a fast rate that left both of us panting and wanting more. He bit my lower lip, sending pain signals through out my body while I winced under his weight.

_" Yup, not a dream it's real."_ I moaned as he kept up with the pleasure. Closing my eyes to melt into his touch. _"I have to ask.."_ The thought was eating away at me while Levi kissed my neck lightly sensing that something was wrong. He scooted downwards then moved to lay by my side. He looked at me confused then tilted his head to the side. I sighed heavily and propped myself up on my elbows.

  "Levi..?" I asked quietly as he looked over at me, the moon light hitting his eyes making them look darker then they should be. I blushed lightly and played with the sand nonchalantly looking at him. "Remember when I asked you if you'd stay with me for a while?" He nodded and blushed. "W-will you..or do you want to go back home to the ocean..?" His eyes went wide then narrow. He looked like he was fighting with himself as he gave me a sadden look just as he was beginning to write something. I tried to swallow my tears while the feeling of my heart shattering into pieces when I read what was written in the sand.

_"I'm not human Eren..I want to stay,but I don't want to put this burden on your shoulders."_ His hair covered his face as he continued to write. _"I can't talk,walk and I'm making things harder on you."_ He was silent like always but I couldn't help a tear escaping from my eye. Nothing but the ocean's waves crashing against the shore made a noise.

"Levi..no..That's not what I think" Struggling to get the words out I reached for him. He backed away as the wind shifted his hair slightly.My eyes widened  when I noticed a shimmering streak of wetness fall down his cheek. Levi may not be able to walk or talk,but he was capable of having feelings. And that was enough for me.

 

  _"What do you think then?"_ I glanced to the side and rubbed my neck then sighed, placing a tender hand on his cold pale cheek. Wiping away whatever amount of tears fell from his beautiful eyes.  

_"Looks like it's time to confess"_  I thought to myself. I felt his eyes glued to my face while he waited in anticipation for my reply. 

"I think about you constantly. Weather I'm at school or sleeping soundly in my room. You're astonishing and I get butterflies in the pit of stomach when I hear the final bell ring cause I know I'll get to come home to you.  I feel ungodly lucky to call you mine.." Rethinking about what I said I blushed brighter then a firetruck. Levi's jaw dropped slightly as he slipped his fingers through mine as if to keep my hand were it was. "Levi, m-may I ask you something..?" My heart felt like it was about to erupt, my lungs felt like I had no more air supply. Levi nodded and leaned into my hand. His silver eyes never leaving mine. 

"I-if I told you I loved you, would you believe me?" Blushing more then I can remember, Levi starred at me in wonderment as his face lit my hand up from his blushing. I bit my lip as I waited for his reply but instead, he slid into my lap and laid his head on my shoulder. My hand somehow didn't move from his beautiful face. His hair brushed against my neck as he nodded. "Do you love me too?" I asked while I kept my gaze trained on him. My stomach knotted and I noticed that he hesitated to give me a reply. I decided to give him time and settle for planting gentle kisses in top of his head until I felt him nod once again. I smiled happily but as quick as my smile came, it left. 

"Did you want to stay or go back..?" I reminded him. Levi sat up and began to write something in the sand. 

_"Home is with you Eren, without you, there is no such thing as home. Only loneliness would exist."_ Was what was written in the sand next to his previous statement. I was chocking on tears at this point despite having a smile just moment prior. The look he gave me was enough to open the flood gates. He fell back into my chest and  pulled me into a tight embrace. His hair was still damp from our earlier adventure but in that moment, I didn't care. He was right and he knew it. He always did. Our hug didn't cease until I felt him move to write in the sand again. He nudged my shoulder gently and pointed to the sand. I turned to glance over my shoulder to where he was pointing at.

_"I need you just like you need me..Please,don't leave me behind."_ was scribbled behind me. I smiled lightly and put a finger under his chin to make him look at me. 

"I won't leave you as long as you don't leave me. I promise." I put my lips against his for what seemed like the millionth time tonight or today. I wasn't really keeping track at this point.  Our kiss was deep and full of passion under the light of the moon. I slid my arms to grip his waist and keep him close to me as his made their way around my neck. He let go so we both could breathe and I smiled while kissing his nose. 

"Think you can handle being with me for a while?" I chuckled as Levi rolled his eyes and pushed me over.  I fell back with him on top of me and my eyes focused on the sky which was now a light blue. School was in a few hours and I was getting tired. Levi let his head fall to have his ear over my heart. I stroked his hair as he fell asleep on my chest. 

_"I think I'm gonna play sick."_ I thought to myself and nodded,however,playing and actually being sick are two different things. 

  I groaned as my back and head felt like they were being crushed by a rock. I felt like crap and Mikasa left my room to go grab me some water and a damp wash cloth.

"Eren...did you stay out with Levi all night?" she asked while handing me the water. I sniffed and coughed into the blankets. I gave her an innocent look,but she didn't buy it.

"Maybe.." I pondered on what happened after he fell asleep on my chest. All I can really recall was picking him up,putting him in his pool, and going to bed. 

"You kept wet clothes on too long and it was cold last night. I think you have pneumonia." She sighed heavily and shook her head.  

"Or just a head cold." I stated flatly as she got up to finish packing her things. I put the water to my lips and took a quick sip before she returned. She put the cup on the night stand and laid the warm washcloth on my forehead. 

"I want you to stay in bed until I get back, Eren" Mikasa slung her book bag over her shoulder as I nodded. "I'll pick up your homework as well. Get plenty of rest and keep your fluids up."  She turned to leave and shut my door behind her. I wasn't lying I did feel like crap and it was my own fault for leaving my swim trunks on to long. It's days like these when you want the comfort of your mother and to have hot chicken noodle soup in bed. I sighed lightly and glanced up at my open window the breeze coming in and brushing against my face. 

"Mom, I feel like crap.." I whined to the air and pouted like a child. The breeze picked up some and I grinned happily and turned onto my side with the wash cloth sticking to my head like super glue. I felt exhausted and my eye lids were heavy with sleep.   _"Thanks for taking care of me.."_ I thought as my eyes slipped shut with the vision of my mom smiling at me and nodding. 

_"Eren,Eren honey it's time to wake up." I heard a woman's voice in my room and struggled to get my eyes open fully. "Good morning." The voice sounded older and sweeter. Diffidently not Mikasa's that for sure. I had to blink a few times in order to regain my full vision. "You're gonna miss breakfast if you keep sleeping." The woman smiled happily as I nuzzled into the blankets further. I wasn't in my room any more, in fact I had no idea where I was. The woman came closer and she held me tightly. Everything about her seemed familiar, her voice, her attire, her eyes- My breath caught in my throat as I stuttered, struggling to get the words to form correctly._

_"Mom..?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ironically, this chapter was finished when I was on my way to the beach today :DD  
> Thank you everyone who has been following "the Ocean's Between Us." It means a lot to see so many people liking Eren's adventures. Also I have a Tumblr if you'd like to follow me and/or have any questions/comments. My name on there is the same as it is on here. Booksimonseesmorphine  
> Thanks again for the bookmarks,comments,reading,and Kudos!! <33


	7. Mother of a Daydream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She was alive and she was breathing..I was a child again.."
> 
> -Side note- (Eren's dream is violent just a heads up. I put up an Archive Warning, just for this chapter and chapter 8. Oh and Eren's potty mouth gets worse. XP)

_I couldn't grasp the fact that my mom was right in front of me. I reached out my tiny hands and hugged her back with tears forming in my eyes. I was a child again and she was alive and breathing._

_"Mommy missed you, how was class yesterday?" She picked me up,blanket and all and held me tightly as we walked downstairs to the kitchen. Our house was a tad different then it was now, but not by much._

_"Good, I learned a lot." I smiled at her and rested my head on her shoulder. When we got to the kitchen, Mikasa was downstairs already and waiting for breakfast.  She and I were still in our pajamas, while my mom was in her favorite yellow dress. "Good, I'm happy to hear it, Good morning Mikasa." She smiled down at her and kissed her hair softly._

_"Good morning." She said through a yawn. Mom began to make breakfast and the wind blew her hair slightly. It was a beautiful morning in my dream and I wouldn't mind staying here for a while. My Mom was so pretty and nice toward Mikasa and I, I kept nodding off until my breakfast landed in front of me. "Take your time and eat, you have plenty of time before you go and get Armin." She wiped her hands on her apron and began to clean the dishes from last night's dinner._

_"Mommy?" I asked my face full of pancakes. Mikasa glared at me and rolled her eyes._

_"You shouldn't be talking with your mouth full." Mikasa stated and cut into her pancakes._

_"Don't tell me what to-" I began to choke and my mom ran to where I was sitting with a glass of water and patted my back._

_"Eren,You know better then to speak with your mouth full!" My mom looked down at me then at Mikasa. "Thank you Mikasa, hopefully he learned his lesson." My mom walked over to her seat and patted her head. Mikasa smiled lightly and nodded while she continued to eat._

_"Suck up." I thought to myself and sighed. I ate my breakfast in silence this time and pouted to myself._

_"Mikasa, Eren," My mom started and turned toward us. "Time to get ready, I need you two to run to town for a few things. Armin's going to." She said while taking our empty plates away.   Mikasa and I both nodded and went up to our rooms to get ready for the day. I was in my room deep in thought, you see, as a ten year old, I thought about a lot of things. Mikasa knocked on my door thus taking me from my thoughts. I opened the door full dressed as we went down stairs._

_"We'll be back!" I called toward the kitchen as Mikasa and I left for the day._

_"Be careful!" My mom called out from the kitchen window.We spent about a half hour at the market after picking up Armin. Mikasa,Armin and I got what we needed and went our separate ways. When Mikasa and I reached the front door something didn't seem right. I looked at my sister and she looked at me. Something was wrong. We walked into the house, it was silent besides the dripping of the faucet._

_"Mommy?" I asked silent but loud enough for her to hear. Mikasa and I began to move toward the kitchen but a pair of arms stopped us. "H-hey!" I fought against the figure until I looked up and saw that it was my Mom. "Mom?" She was crying and held on to Mikasa and I while we went up the stairs._

_"Shh, it's okay sweetheart, we're gonna play hide and seek okay? You and your sister hide, and Mommy will count." Her tears came down faster then before as she hugged Mikasa and I tightly and kissed or heads softly. I could feel her trembling and her heart racing. She knelled down to our level and put her shaking hands on my shoulders. "J-just promise me you two will survive." I looked at my mom confused and Mikasa gripped her scarf tightly as we nodded slowly. My mom smiled and turned to go downstairs to count._

_"Mikasa, I have a bad feeling about this.." I glanced at her, her face was expressionless "Hide with me." I stated and grabbed her hand as we ran for the closet._

_I threw her in first then followed, closing the door tightly. It was silent once more, but my mother's voice broke it a few moments later. She began to count._

_"One.." My heart started to race._

_"T-two" I heard her voice cracking and whimpering. I brought my free hand to my mouth to cover it from screaming. I had a weird urge to run to her and see what the hell was going on, but Mikasa had a death grip on me._

_"Thre-" I heard her voice get cut off and a loud thud hit the floor. My eyes widened and tears flowed freely. Mikasa looked away from me and continued to hold onto her red scarf she always wore. I reached for the door knob, but heavy footsteps on the stairs made me rethink my actions and back off. I wrapped my arms around Mikasa tightly while her head found refuge on my shoulder._

_"Eren, no matter what happens, I will protect you." Mikasa whispered as I nodded as the doorknob began to twist. My eyes went wide and the door opened slowly._

_"Found you."  Mikasa and I gripped each other tightly as the man in front of us was covered in blood. My mother's blood. The man launched toward us and everything went black._

 "No!" I screamed and shot up from my bed. I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders but kept thrashing around in my bed.

"Eren! Eren Relax!" I kept going, still stuck in my nightmare I gripped the person who was holding onto me's shirt and spat out.

"You! You killed her!" I threw the person away from me. They stumbled a few times then fell against my bedroom door. I  got up out of my bed to hover over them.

"Eren,what are you talking about I didn't kill anyone!" The voice began to panic as as my eyes opened slowly, still glazed over and still stuck in my nightmare. 

"You should have died in her place! You bastard!" I gripped their shirt and pinned them to the wall. I was in raged and everything I was doing in my nightmare, I was doing to whoever was in my room with me.  The figure began to pant and grip my hands tightly. 

"P-please stop.." The gasped out, their grip loosening. I felt them struggle against my hands and I screamed out.

"I hate you.." I dug my fingers into their neck,determined to rid them of this world until I felt a force tackle me to the floor. The person against the wall fell as the individual on top of me slapped me hard across the face. The blunt force of the hand across my face woke me up completely.  I looked around my room and saw Armin first his hand raised just in case and Mikasa hyperventilating on the floor. "The hell..?" I starred at him confused and Mikasa began to shake.

"Eren, what the hell!?" Armin looked at me highly upset as he got up and went to Mikasa's side to make sure she was alright.

"W-what happened? A-Armin what are you ding here?" I held my head and ran a hand through my hair. I felt dizzy and Armin helped Mikasa to her feet.

"Mikasa asked me to come over after school. She said you weren't feeling well and thought you might want some company besides her. You attacked Mikasa,Eren. What were you dreaming about anyway!?" Armin raised his voice and sat Mikasa down on her chair.

"I-I had a dream about my Mother." I started. Mikasa looked at me then down at the floor. Holding her neck loosely and remaining quite. Her scarf hanging loosely over her shoulders. 

"You had a dream about your Mom, that gives you the right to attack your sister?" Armin looked down at me sternly. I never saw him this upset before. 

"Mikasa..I-I attacked you?" She looked away not wanting to admit it. I felt terrible, this time I really did hurt her. I looked down and felt terrible about the whole situation. I sighed  and went to the door and left for the backyard. 

 I stepped outside and and grabbed the net from the shed to clean out the pool. The back light lite up the yard.  It was dark outside and I was silent as Levi swam away playfully from the net. He glanced up at me and looked worried as he popped up on the side of the pool. He looked at me and reached out to grab my shirt and pull me close. 

"Not now, Levi.." I tried to tug away from him but he shook his head and pouted. "I'm not in the mood to talk about it." I spat and looked to the side. Levi growled lightly and laid his head on my chest and held my waist tightly, not letting me go anywhere. "C-can I take you out and hold y-you?" Tears threaten my sight as he nodded and propped himself up some so I could pick him up bridal style and sit on the balcony with him in my arms. 

"Am I really that bad of a person?" I asked Levi with a sad tone in my voice. He looked up at me and shook his head "no". "It seems like it honestly, I hurt Mikasa today because I had a bad dream." Levi's head tilted to the side as I held him close to my chest. "What if I hurt you next..?" Levi shook his head again and laid still on my lap. I gripped him tightly and rested my head on his and closed my eyes. Levi dragged his nails lightly against my arms as if to comfort me. I smiled lightly and sighed in contentment.  

"I love you." I whispered into his hair. He looked up and pecked me on the lips and nodded. I began to drift off to sleep with him in my arms. Levi was warm but slightly cold, but that didn't bother me. My eyes opened some when I heard the back door open and glanced over my shoulder. 

"I figured I'd find you out here." The voice was calm and quite. 

"Mikasa..I'm sorry I didn-" I started but she cut me off.

"Don't worry about it, I brought you out a blanket. Thought you may need it if you were planning on staying with him." She pointed at Levi, who was now sound asleep against my chest and breathing calmly. 

"Would it be alright?" I asked as she wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and nodded. She took a seat next to me and looked up at the stars.

"Eren, you said you had a dream about your mom right?" She kept looking up as I nodded. "What was it about?" She asked then shifted her gaze back to me. I kept quite then looked over at her. 

"You were in it and we were kids." I looked downwards as she kept her gaze trained on me. I was fighting with myself, pondering if I should keep going or not. 

"Go on" She smiled lightly at me and leaned back on her hands. I sighed lightly and ran a hand through Levi's pitch black hair. 

"Armin was in it too. My Mom sent us to go the the market to pick up a few things. When we came back something felt off." I continued and kept up rubbing his head. His hair was smooth and exposed his full face when I brushed his hair back. Mikasa was watching me silently. "She carried us upstairs the put us down. She asked us to hide cause we were playing a game of hide and seek." I began to choke on my words as Mikasa leaned over a bit her hand on my shoulder. "She was crying and I don't know why.." A tear escaped my cheek and I bit my lip. Mikasa scooted over and hugged me tightly. "We hid in the closet and you gripped your red scarf tightly and we both were scared." Mikasa touched her scarf then looked over at me. 

"Do you know who it was..?" She whispered and rubbed my shoulder. I looked at her and nodded with tears hitting Levi's sleepy face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is mainly Eren's dream and some Dialogue and slightly short. Chapter 8 is going to longer.  
> I will be updating twice believe me you're gonna need it (Update will be uploaded later tonight possibly) :)  
> Thanks everyone for the bookmarks,kudos,reading and comments! <33


	8. Bloody Lips and Fist Fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Piss off Jean...My love life is none of your concern." I said while starring him down in the hallway.
> 
> "Jean..Leave Eren alone, he's had a rough morning and you're making it worse." Marco came from the staircase and over to where we were. He gripped Jean's forearm and attempted to hold him back. Jean smirked and ripped his arm away from Marco's grip.
> 
> "Least my lover is real." He sneered and placed a hand on Marco's cheek. That was it. I tore myself away from my sister and launched at him in the middle of the hallway.Determined to kick his snooty ass.

    My thoughts kept going as Mikasa waited patiently for my reply. "Is Armin still here?" I asked as she shook her head "no".

_"Well that got me no where."_ I thought to myself while Levi turned onto his side getting closer to me.

 "It's getting late, I'm heading to bed we have school tomorrow." Mikasa gave me a hug and got up. "Night Eren." She waved then shut the door behind her. I kissed Levi's cheek and smiled softly.

"I won't hurt you nor let anyone do you harm. I promise." I nuzzled into him and fell asleep quickly.The next morning, I woke up to a chill and Levi shaking in my arms.

"S-shit it's cold." I whispered as my breath became visible. I looked down and saw him clutching my shirt and shivering. I took the blanket off of my shoulders and wrapped him in it. I picked him up and put him down gently in his pool after taking the blanket away. The water was warm thankfully.  Then I went to my room to get ready. I hopped into the shower once I was indoors and let the water stream down my body. I was too deep in thought. Realizing that today was Thursday and my father was coming home. What was I going to do about Levi? Should I leave him in the pool? My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock on the door. "Yeah?" I called out through the closed door.

"Hurry up, we have class soon." I heard my sister's voice through the door.

"Alright, I'll be out in a second!" I said as I finished washing up and turned the water off. I went to my room to get dressed and pack my bag. Realizing I didn't do my homework yesterday, I figured I'd do in during Mr.Jinn's class or when I had time. I went downstairs and popped some toast in the toaster and brought it with me. I ate it on the way to pick up Armin and noticed that the sky was gray and cloudy.

"Suppose to rain today?" I asked Mikasa and looked up toward the sky.

"I think so, Only in the morning though. The news said that it is suppose to start around ten-ish." She said while reaching Armin's house, and knocking. We heard someone approaching the door and open it. Armin slipped out and sighed.

"You okay?" I asked, he looked like he didn't get any sleep last night or was up all night reading.

"Yeah, my Grandma is sick and I had to help her a majority of the night." Armin said with a yawn and a rub of his eyes. "Ready to go?" I didn't bother asking if he wanted to stay home or not. Armin never missed a day of school unless he was severely ill and that was damn near impossible. We walked down the road in silence until Armin broke it.

"Did you start on your projects for English?" Mikasa nodded but I shook my head. "Gonna do it half butt again?" He giggled lightly.

"Mmhm." I mumbled with my toast in my mouth. "Whef ish it du?" I asked. Mikasa reached over and took the toast away from my mouth.

"English?" She gave me a look and sighed lightly.

"When is it due?" I corrected myself and took my toast back. "Woman stealing my toast." I pouted and pretended to be mad.

"Next Tuesday, better jump on it. " Armin smiled lightly as we approached the court yard of the school.

"Yeah yeah, I know." I said flatly as I finished my toast and walked into the building just as the first bell rang. Armin, Mikasa and I took our seats in the classroom while Mr.Jinn wrote the lesson on the board. He turned around and placed his book on his desk.

_"Wait for it....Wait.. and..Que the fan girls!"_ and just like that the girls sighed. I looked at Armin and rolled my eyes. Armin snorted and gazed back at the teacher.

"Morning class. I hope you all have figured out what you want your projects to be based on." He raised a brow and looked at me. "Especially you, Eren." he pointed out.

"Hey! I do well on my projects!" I protested and slouched in my seat. Mr.Jinn hummed and sat down.

"Today is going to be a research day. I'm going ask you what your topic is and you'll go from there. Look some information up in your textbook and if you need to, go to the Lab." He picked up his pen and clip board. "Alright, so first we have Mr. Arlert, your topic?" Our teacher asked while twiddling the pen between his fingers. 

"I wanted to do Realism sir." Mr. Jinn nodded and wrote it down. He went through the list until it got to me. He had to decline so many topics because they were ether about him or Mr.Erwin or had nothing to do with the lesson. Thankfully no one took my subject.

"Eren, you're subject?" Mr.Jinn sighed and ran a hand over his slicked back hair and rubbed his neck.

"Romance Era." I stated as Mr.Jinn raised his brow again and glanced up at me from over his clipboard.

"That's a pretty big subject, Think you can handle it?" He looked a bit concerned as I nodded. I had confidence in myself so Mr.Jinn agreed to let me have it.

"Oh? Yeager's doing Romance? How nauseating. Give me a break."  I heard Jean complain from the back of the room. I sighed and tried so hard not to lose my temper. Lately, it's been harder to control it. Mikasa cleared her throat and turned in her seat to look at Jean.

"Look, if he wants to do it let him. There's nothing wrong with the fact that he wants to learn more about that time.I'm doing the Mechanical Era, Jean. Does that make me a loser for wanting to learn more about it?" Mikasa stood up for me and I was grateful. I didn't feel like arguing with anyone today. I silently thanked her with a nod.

"No need to fight now, Jean mind your own business." Mr.Jinn chimed in and got up to write on the board. "Remember, the project is due no later then Tuesday. I want a written report and a four to eight slide power point on your topic. Everyone will be presenting, no excuses." Mr.Jinn wrote down everything he said and underlined a few words that needed to be remembered. The class nodded and the bell for second period rang.  I packed my things quickly and ran out of the room, leaving Mikasa and Armin behind me. 

  "Good morning class." Ms.Hange came into her classroom looking a bit happier despite the weather being shitty outside.  "Hope everyone had a good weekend and such! Today we are going to take it easy again." I watched her come from behind her desk and stand in front of the class. She picked up the marker and began to write on the dry erase board. "Now there is two topic that you can work on,ether Chemistry or-" She glanced up at the ceiling to look for an answer. "Hmm..Chemistry..or.. ah! Or Ecosystems" She began to write down some examples of the two to give us a head start. "I printed out a separate worksheet for Chem, but have to go make copies of the Ecosystem one. I will be right back, start brain storming and jot down some ideas for your classwork." Ms.Hange went back to her desk and picked up her text book then left the room. I took out my notebook and pen and began to write random things. I had so much on my mind that I started to draw random pictures on my paper and not notice Jean hovering over me.

"Aw, how cute Yeager's drawing hearts with someone's name in them!" Jean snapped me out of my thoughts and he was right. Like a school girl with a huge crush I _was_ drawing hearts with Levi's name in them. 

"Piss off Jean, I'm not in the mood." I stated after attempting to put my notebook away, but he took it and read the page the doodles were on. 

"Is this the beginning of your project? About some guy named Levi? Eren's got a guy crush!" Jean snickered and looked down at me. Armin got up and put a hand on Jean's shoulder. 

"Leave him be, Jean. Come on we're in High School not Elementary. Don't you think your teasing is kinda meaningless?" Armin reached for the note book as well and Jean shook his head.

"Nope, I just enjoy pissing him off. Plus he doesn't have Mikasa to stop me this time an-"

"Mikasa may not be in here but I am. Now sit your ass down and listen to my lesson." Ms.Hange came back and had a stack of papers in her arms. She seethed at Jean with a look that could kill someone in an instant. Jean shut his mouth and threw the book back at me.

"You got lucky again Yeager just you-"

"Just what Jean? Huh? You think your tough shit all because you stole my notebook? Oh man I'm quacking in my fucking boots." I got up from my seat and faced him. "I don't care and that's obvious. I don't need my sister too beat someone as weak as you. I could knock you down in one damn shot."  I spat and looked at him determined to kick his ass. Jean leaned down and grabbed my shirt.

"I'd like to see you try." He was fuming as I gripped his hand. 

"Get off of my shirt before you tear it." I wasn't kidding anymore. He was pissing me off and Ms.Hange put her hands between us. 

"Knock it off you two and go do your work. You can go to Couple's consoling later." She pushed us away from each other and Armin looked worried. I huffed and went back to my seat. Ignoring the fact that his eyes were burning a hole through my head.  The rain kept pouring all day and trickled down the windows in the Science room. Highly ticked off, I kept quite and did my work, ignoring everyone. The class remained silent., however, Armin came over and sat beside me in the empty chair. He took out a sticky note from his bookbag.  

_"You okay?"_ He wrote and passed it toward me. I read it and nodded.

_"Just aggravated is all."_ I scribbled down and passed it to Armin. With that, our sticky note conversation ended. I kept my eyes trained on my assignment then the bell for Home Ec. rang. Getting up, I put my things away and kept my cool. I walked toward the door but Jean beat me to it and pushed me out of the way. I breathed heavily through my nose and attempted to forget what just happened. Armin followed me out. He gripped my forearm and frowned. 

  "Eren, please don't." He begged and gripped my arm tighter. I could feel him shaking. That caused me to turn around and smile warmly down at him. 

"Don't worry I wasn't going to. I lost my temper once and attacked Mikasa. I don't want that to happen again,however, beating Jean's behind might prove a point." I snickered and shook my head. Armin smirked slightly then looked to the side and let go of my arm. "Come on let's go to Home Ec." I pulled Armin along at my pace and gave him a reassuring nod.

"A-alright." Armin followed as I looked back at him. "Eren look out!" We were almost to the room ,until I hit something that felt like a brick wall. I stumbled back into Armin , who caught me as I rubbed my face.

"Ouch what the hell-" I grumbled and complained at the pain that was generating from my nose. I opened my eyes and nearly growled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Watch where you're going Eren." Jean glared down at me then reached over and grabbed my shirt again. I looked away from him and bit my lower lip. Hopping some of that would take the urge too give him a whooping.   "What's wrong? Looking for your man to come kick my ass?" 

"No. I'm trying to be the bigger person here and not knock the shit out of you." I snapped at him as my fingers dug into my palms. Armin stood there, not knowing what to do as Mikasa came up from behind me to hold me back.

 "Now's not the time to fight Eren." She advised. I frowned and pulled against her.

"Piss off Jean...My love life is none of your concern." I said while starring him down in the hallway.

 "Jean..Leave Eren alone, he's had a rough morning and you're making it worse." Marco came from the staircase and over to where we were. He gripped Jean's forearm and attempted to hold him back. Jean smirked, he clearly had an idea up his sleeve. 

"Least my love is real." He sneered and placed a hand on Marco's cheek. That was it. I tore myself away from my sister and launched at him in the middle of the hallway.Determined to kick his snooty ass. I tackled him to the floor and straddled his hips.

 "Leave Levi out of this!" I gripped the color of his shirt and nailed him right in the jaw. I punched him again until he bucked his hips and threw me off. I fell to my side and Jean took the advantage to kick me in the rib cage. I coughed and help my ribs. Getting back on my feet, I panted and threw another punch. Jean blocked then hit me in the face with his elbow.  My adrenaline was pumping and my pants coming in heavy breaths now. I felt my eye pulsate from the blow and out of defense, I gripped his head with both hands, brought his face down and slammed my knee into his nose. I could feel it cracking from the force and could hear Armin and Marco gasping.

"What the fuck!?" Jean fell back and held his nose tightly. I could see the blood trickling down through his fingers and onto his shirt.  I ran toward him again but got blocked by Marco protecting Jean and Mikasa gripping my arm with the force that could break it if I moved. Jean panted and whimpered while Marco turned around to put his hands on Jean's shoulders.

" Jean you should go to the nurse." Marco pressed and looked concerned for his "best friend" .

"Forget it Marco!" He snapped and took himself away from Marco and walked off. His ego bruised and damaged from being beaten by me. Marco sighed and turned to look at us. 

"I'm truly sorry for that Eren.." Marco looked down but all I wanted was to leave school for the day and go home. The weather was raging outside and  bringing up Levi made me wonder if he was alright or not.

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to the Nurse." I pointed out then pivoted on my heal and walked away with Mikasa and Armin close behind me.

  "What happened now? You have a black eye." Nurse Ral sighed, she was backed up with other students. She didn't have any help at the moment and the kids kept coming in. 

"I got into a fight." I mumbled and glanced to my side. Jean was sitting there with an ice pack on his face. I snickered and Nurse Ral examined my face.

"Let me guess, it was with Jean." Her eyes shifted over to Jean who was flipping me off. I nodded and smirked.

 "I won at least." My moment of triumph was halted she pressed an ice pack onto my face. "Ow!" I winced. Mikasa was next to me and Armin went to math class. 

"Eren, I told you to call me last week too see how you were feeling and you didn't. Is there a reason for this?" She backed up and looked at me, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. I had no excuses, plus I couldn't tell her about Levi. 

"No ma'am I forgot..I'm sorry" I looked down and examined the tiled floor, tracing the patterns with my good eye. Nurse Ral shook her head and wrote me a tardy slip. 

"I should really report the fight, but I'll let you go." She passed me the note and waved me off. 

"Thanks Nurse Ral." I turned to leave and kept the ice pack on my face. Mikasa followed and held the door for me. "Thanks for helping me out during the fight." I glanced over at Mikasa as she nodded keeping quite. "You okay?" My eye brows knitted together as I studied my sister's expressions. 

"Yeah, just come on Math is almost over." She walked a bit faster but I reached a hand out and grabbed her shoulder. She stumbled back some and gave me a look.

"You're lying. Did the fight with Jean upset you?" Now I was generally concerned for her. "Did it bring back the thought of me attacking you?" I felt hurt and my head was still pulsing. Mikasa nodded slowly. "I'm sorry.." I hugged her with my free arm and frowned. 

"It's alright. Things happen I understand. However, acting out like that and kicking Jean's ass was totally called for." She snickered, I looked at her and snorted. 

"I am pretty tough.." I smirked as we began to walk again. By the time we got to our Math class, the bell rang for History. Mikasa and I shrugged and decided to wait for Armin. 

"Oh hey guys! I got your homework for tonight." He stated while handing our papers to us. Mikasa and I both thanked him and made our way to History.

"Hey Armin?" I asked while the ice pack began to thaw out.

"Hm?" He acknowledged me and looked curious. 

"Are we still learning about Myths and Legends in History?" I kept my gaze up and for some unknown reason, I was curious if we were or not.

"Yeah, the Myth we learned yesterday was about Fairies. It was funny because Marco got to pick the number this time." Armin laughed lightly as did I. We went down the busy hallways. It was mid afternoon when my head began to hurt again. I felt dizzy and the vision of Levi came into my view. Like the time I saw him in the hallway on my way to the nurse's office, however, he wasn't violent this time. He was hurt. The vision had someone towering over him, I didn't get a good picture of who ever it was.  I felt weak and sluggish, my head began to hurt worse then before. 

"Eren?" I didn't know that I stopped in the middle of the hallway and Armin was watching me to make sure I was alright. Mikasa was a few steps ahead. 

"Yeah, sorry, was just thinking I'm coming." I shrugged it off and caught up with them.

 Mikasa went ahead and gave Mr.Erwin the tardy slip. "So that's what the fellow teachers were talking about." He pointed to my black eye. "Someone got into a fight."

_"Way to point out the obvious."_ I thought after taking my seat. The rain was pounding on the windows and the wind made the classroom lights flicker every so often. I was getting more worried about Levi then I have ever worried about anyone.  

"So far we have learned about Fairies, Centaurs, and Mermaids. Mikasa, please pick a number for us?" Mr.Erwin smiled gently toward my sister. I heard a few aggravated sighs around the room. 

"I'd like number three." She informed after getting her supplies out. 

"Alright, number three it is." Mr.Erwin went up to his board and began to write the topic. "Very interesting topic Mikasa has chosen." I cocked my eye brow and looked at her while Armin nearly fell out of his seat from the excitement.  "Today's topic is the Legend of the Harpy." Armin blinked a few times, attempting to figure out what a Harpy is. "Harpy's are apart of the Roman Legends. They are part woman and part bird." Mr.Erwin  walked over to the lights and shut them off. He brought out the projector and picked up his textbook to begin his lesson. The assignment peeked my interest for a while. I glanced at the clock and sighed seeing that we still had a half hour to go. Armin raised his hand after writing something down.

"Mr.Erwin, How is a Harpy apart of the Legends? What did they do?" Mr.Erwin smiled and nodded.

"Good question. Harpy's are well known to  steal food from their victims and carry evildoers in their talons." He pointed to the claws in the picture with a ruler. Armin nodded and wrote the information down. I began to nod off,thankfully the bell woke me up. "Alright everyone remember to do your homework!" Mr.Erwin reminded us as the class flooded out of the room. Mikasa,Armin and I walked to the front of the school like the rest of the student body did. 

"Should we run for it?" Armin leaned over and asked Mikasa. She nodded as did I and we ran out the double doors just to get pelted with heavy rain. 

~~~~

_"Mom, what's wrong?"_ I asked as we ran to Armin's house. After dropping him off we ran to our place. Running up the porch we were drenched and soaked to the bone.Even though the rain became a drizzle once we got to the front door. I took my keys out and unlocked the door. The house was dark and quite with no sight of my Dad. I went up the stairs and took off my wet clothes. When the cold air hit my skin I shivered. I quickly got dressed and walked out of my room toward the backyard. "Levi?" I asked toward the pool. The wind still blew my hair around and rustled the bushes around my backyard. The wind blew into the pool also. I stared to get upset and worried. I walked forward and laid my hands on the poolside. I didn't see him but I saw his tail fin swaying slightly. Levi was wedged in the corner near the latter. His eyes fell on mine as he swam quickly to my side of the pool. I went onto my tip toes and dipped my hands into the pool. He held onto my hands as I pulled him up and held him close. 

"I was so worried about you." I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his neck.  Levi held onto me and stroked my hair. I whimpered and winced when tears hit my black eye. Levi nibbled on my neck to get my attention. I picked my head up and got lost in his eyes. He put hand on my cheek and frowned at the fact that I was hurt. 

  "I got into a fight today." I glanced down then back at him. Levi kissed my forehead right above the blackness. I blushed lightly and kissed his cheek. "I won though." I giggled and gazed at him while he planted kisses on my face. I placed my forehead on Levi's, not caring that it was raining. I put my hands on his face and Levi slid his hands into mine. I bumped my nose on his and smiled sweetly. I leaned into kiss him that is, until an all too familiar voice interrupted us.

"Eren, what do you think you're doing?" I gasped and turned my head toward the balcony looking in terror at where my Father stood.

_"Oh god no.."_  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battle Royal between "best buds" pfft haha. I gotta admit, the fight scene was fun to write. And Yay! More dialog XD. Anyway thank you everyone who has been reading,commenting,bookmarking and the Kudos! <3  
> If you have any questions/comments, ask me on Tumblr. My name on there is the same as it is on here.  
> Booksimonseesmorphine


	9. He was Once my Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I knew loving him would be difficult, I was well aware that falling for someone who wasn't a human or even if he was one, I could still get hurt. But I didn't care, I love him and that's all that should matter right? If I'm happy you should be to. Mom, if you were here things would be different. You would have excepted Levi for who he is, you would have taken care of him. If only I was stronger..Maybe you would still be here..And so would Levi."
> 
> -Long chapter ahead-

   "F-father" I began to shake furiously in Levi's grip. "I can e-explain."  Today just got worse. First the nightmare, then the fight with Jean and now this. My father stared at us with two men standing behind him. "What are you doing with this thing?" He pointed to Levi as he growled in anger. Levi hissed and looked dead straight at my father, his back beginning to tense as his hands dug deep into the poolside. There were two men besides my father. One was bulky in the shoulders and tall. The other was slim and slightly shorter then the other.  

"He's not a thing!" I yelled as my father sighed, highly annoyed at my ignorance. "His name is Levi and he's.." I looked down the back up as I noticed my father walk closer to us. Levi gripped my shirt tightly and pushed me behind him. He was in front of me,protecting me with everything he had.

"Move." My dad ordered but Levi shook his head and growled louder showing his sharp teeth as a warning. I gripped Levi's arm, honestly I was scared for mine and Levi's lives. "I said move away from my son now." Levi shook his head clearly stating where he stood and was not moving. "Have it your way then." My father motioned for his men to come forward. "Pry this thing away from Eren."

"No...No..you can't do this!" I screamed as his men leaned down into the pool to pick Levi up and tear his grip away from my shirt. Levi growled louder then I have ever heard as the men reached for him. I tried to hold him back, but my father got behind me and tore me away from Levi. He had a death grip on my arms. The larger of the two men picked Levi up and get him fully out of the pool. He thrashed and clawed at the man's arms.

"Look at it Eren,that _monster_." I looked away but my father gripped my face and forced me to watch his henchmen harm my one and only. Out of defense, Levi dug his claws into the larger man's face and ripped a chunk clear off then aimed for his arm and sunk his teeth in. The scene reminded me of Mr.Erwin's lesson on merpeople and my nightmare.

_"Merpeople can be extremely violent or lovable.To put it simply, they can make you fall in love with them or kill you."_ The man began to wallow in pain as the skinnier man backed off.

"He's not a monster you're wrong!" Tears streaked down my dad's hand then hit the grass that was present in my backyard. "Let me go!" I struggled against him and tried to get one of my arms free "Please..Levi say _something_! Anything prove to them you're not a monster!" I cried out as I fell to the sandy grass, my dad's grip never loosening. Levi bit into the man's pressure point thus making him drop Levi with a loud thud. Levi crawled toward me until the other man pinned him down, dragging him harshly by the tail.

 He hissed in pain and starred at me, His brows drew together and his silver eyes looked petrified. For the first time, I saw him scared. "Levi! Let go you fucking asshole! You're hurting him! Stop!" I began to panic and cry harder. "Levi!" I managed to get one of my arms free and reached for him as the man picked and slung him over his shoulder,just to be met with Levi's teeth into his neck. The man screamed and stumbled with Levi over his shoulder and reached for me. Our hands almost interlocked and the memory of me trying to teach Levi to say my name came back.

_"My name is Eren, can you say Eren?"_ I remember smiling even though he couldn't say it. I hoped to hear him say it sometime. My reality came back and my father still had a death grip on one of my arms and was reaching for the other. I fidgeted and turned to look at Levi. "Levi, say something!!" I yelled out, attempting to escape. 

"Eren!" Levi struggled against the man as he gripped my hand. My eyes nearly fell out of my head.

_"He...he did it...he said my name.."_ I thought and smiled happily even though I was losing him. I trembled on the sandy grass and his grip kept my hand in place. "Eren...p-please..!" He cried out as the man gripped him tightly. No words came out of my mouth, just tears from my eyes.

"Don't you ever say my son's name you beast." My father spat and nodded to his remaining lackey.

"Father..please don't-" My eyes fell on Levi as his eyes bulged and he gasped. Levi began to scratch at his throat and looked at me, his eyes watering and his movements become slow as he coughed violently. "Stop! He can't breathe! He needs water! Father please put him back!" I pushed against my father to let go but he didn't. Levi gasped out a few more times then went limp in the man's arms.

"Eren..I'm sorry.." Were his last words that I could hear from him before he gave in. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and his arms hung loosely against the man's back.

"Take that creature to the Lab. But for extra caution." My father let me go and took a pocket knife out from his vest and struck Levi in the shoulder that I fixed almost a week ago and cut a small slit into his gill. "That should keep him still." The man nodded and turned to leave. My dad following after him.

"Levi..no.." I shook and felt hollowed out. I sobbed and watched the man take him away. Frozen where I sat, I felt my world fall apart and fail to exist. The waves got violent and I heard a rumble of thunder in the distance. I kept crying and gripped my knees when it began to pour. I felt my bangs sticking to my forehead and my chest tighten with the pain I had that my father took Levi away. "You bastard.." I whimpered as my head fell forward into my hands and the rain battered harshly against my back. "You bastard!" I yelled out toward him even thought I knew he couldn't hear me. 

   The rain came down harder as I felt every part of my being be ripped to shreds. The bad weather was a warning from my mother that something bad was going to happen.

_"Mom I-I'm"_ I shivered at the feel of the rain soaking me to the bone. I felt a hand on my shoulder and began to cry harder. "M-Mikasa..H-he took him.." I whimpered as her grip tightened on my shoulder. She was silent above me as the storm grew stronger. 

"Eren..we should go inside..you're going to catch a cold." She knelled down to my level and rubbed my back in attempt to comfort me.

  "It's fine..just go in without me." I snapped as tears flowed freely, then again I couldn't tell which were tears and which were raindrops. "I don't care." I whispered to myself as Mikasa squeezed my shoulder and got up. 

   "I tried to distract them.." She started as I picked my head up and looked at her over my shoulder. "Your dad had three men with him. Two of them followed him out as the other came to look for me. Luckily I hid and was almost into the backyard to warn you, but I was too late..I'm sorry." She looked down and frowned as our eyes met. The silence hung over us for what seemed like a thousand years. I just blinked a few times trying to register what she just said. My eyes looked at the sandy grass for a moment then back at her.

  "Thank you." I breathed out and frowned deeper. She nodded and turned on her heel and walked back inside. I glanced upwards as droplets of rain painted my face. The realization that my father took Levi away sunk in deeper then I wish it did. I knew loving him would be difficult, I was well aware that falling for someone who wasn't a human or even if he was one, I could still get hurt. But I didn't mind, I love him and that's all that should matter right? If I'm happy you should be to. Mom, if you were here things would be different. You would have excepted Levi for who he is, you would have taken care of him. If only I was stronger..Maybe you would still be here..And so would Levi.

  I lost track of time as the storm started to calm down some. Standing up was difficult, it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders as I walked slowly toward the house. My cloths dripped slightly while I dragged my feet across the hard wood flooring of the bottom floor. I turned and went up the steps toward the bathroom to shower. I locked the door behind me and tugged on my shirt that stuck to my chest.

 Mumbling curse after curse, I finally got it off and went for my pants next. The cold air caressed my bare chest and I shivered lightly, the window was still open, moving the curtains slightly. My eyes locked on the window and the memory of me bringing him to the bathroom and setting him down in the tub came back. The memory played in my head as water trailed down my legs and my chest. I shook my head and walked over to the tub to start the hot water. After removing my soaking wet boxers and grabbing a towel, I sat down in the tub silently. 

The water trailed down back as I slid up toward the falling water. Water droplets slid down my spine and back into he rising water. "To think he was siting here almost a week ago.." I mumbled and ran my hands through my hair slightly and tilting my head back in attempt to relax. My thoughts ran rapid as I brought my hands back toward my face to buried them in it. "Levi.."  I felt tears well up in the corner of my eyes until something bumped my leg. I glanced up and noticed that it was the rubber duck that he chewed on. I smiled lightly and placed my hand on my forehead as the other reached for it. 

"Always so sassy and driving me up a wall." I giggled lightly but felt hollow still inside as I let the duck go to swim lopsided in the tub with me. _"I still can't believe he said my name..He could speak this entire time but why did he wait until now?"_ I pondered as I reached for the soap to wash myself up.

My fingers began i prune as I dragged them across my chest and sighed in contentment. After washing the soap off, I turned he water off and leaned back into something cold. I looked over my shoulder to see Levi in the tub with me. He wrapped his arms around my bare waist and leaned his head against my shoulder. _"I love you.."_ He whispered against my shoulder blade. 

I had no comments I just let the day dream play out in my head as it hit the tiled wall. _"If only."_ I thought to myself then got up and reached for my towel that was laying on the toilet seat. I ran the rough material through my hair then tied it around my waist. Everything in that bathroom reminded me of him. The chewed up rubber duck, the toothpaste tube, everything. I unlocked the door and went across the hall to my bedroom.

Switching the light on, lit up my room dimly as I went in and shut the door. I grabbed the first piece of clothing I saw which was one of my old Jr. year gym shirts and sweat pants. I shuffled over to my bed afterwards and sat on the edge glancing at the clock which read "10:15 p.m." I plopped back onto my mattress and huffed a lot louder then I thought. My eyes began to close when I heard a soft knock at my door.

 "Eren, it's dinner time..Father wants you downstairs. He also said no excuses." Mikasa's voice was soft through my closed door. My eyes blinked open as I laid there silently.

"Tell him I'm not hungry and to piss off." I swallowed tears as a flash back of Levi reaching out to me played in front of my eyes.

"He wants a word with both of us." Her voice sounded pleading as I propped myself up on my elbows.

"Tell him I said-"

"Eren..please.." I didn't think her voice could get lower but it did. I sighed and got up all the way. Walking toward my door, I opened it and examined my sister's face. Her cheeks were red and stained with tear marks. She didn't look at me as I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled lightly. 

"Mikasa..Thank you for trying to help save Levi..I appreciate it highly." I pulled her into an embrace as she gripped my shirt tightly. "C'mon, I don't want you getting into trouble." I pulled away and grabbed her hand, leading her to the stairs and down toward the kitchen. 

"Eren, we're in this together..I promised Mom.." She squeezed my hand and I nodded, letting her know I heard her. We both popped into the kitchen and sat at the table calmly with my father at one end of the circular table. We ate dinner late but no one said anything. I just played with my pasta hoping that he wouldn't look in my direction. Sadly I was wrong. 

"Anything interesting happen in school?" He took a bite of his meal as I stayed silent but screamed at him in my head. 

_"Interesting!? You want to see something interesting, how bout I shove my foot up your ass!?" You stole Levi from me you prick!_  "

I shook my head and spoke. "No. Not a thing" I took a bite this time as Mikasa kept her gaze on her plate. 

"Mm, I see." He wiped his face with a napkin and glanced at my sister. "Mikasa, how about you?" She stayed silent as she shook her head. I just sat there shocked that he was acting like nothing happened. I built up the courage and spoke up. 

"What about you? Anything _interesting_ happen in the _lab?_ " I kept my eyes trained on my Father. Hoping maybe he would slip as to what the hell he did to Levi. He picked up on my tone of voice and sighed, placing his napkin down by his silverware. 

   "What are you getting at, Eren?" He asked while arching one of his eye brows. Anger boiled up inside of me, Mikasa looked at me and shook her head slightly. "Is it because of that thing I pried off of you?" That was it. I snapped and slammed my hands on the table with a loud " _bang"_ and glass clattering together.

"He's not a thing! He was mine and you took him away from me!" I gripped the table cloth as Mikasa got up and held me back from launching at my father. 

"Now Eren, it was for the best and your own good." My father retorted as I bared my teeth in anger and pulled against Mikasa's grip.

"The best!? For me!? Are you fucking kidding me!? It was for your benefit! You're the monster not him! Father I loved him, and you took him away!" I yelled and struggled to keep my composure as tears flowed freely down my cheeks and under my chin.

"What do you know about love, Eren, you're just a child And he wasn't human." He got up and was in front of me in mere seconds. The tension building in the kitchen was nerve racking. 

"Love knows no limits! It's free to _pick_ and _choose_ whatever it pleases!" I screamed out and Mikasa's grip got tighter around my arms as I kept pulling forward.  My dad got a hold of my shirt and looked at me sternly.

"Maybe in your book, but it's different." He pointed out as I fought back the urge to pummel him right there where he stood.

"Why!? Why did you have to take him away!? He didn't do anything, he's innocent!" I bit back as my father shook his head. 

"One of my men got mauled, another is in the E.R receiving medical attention and the other refuses to go near it. Now tell me how that is innocence? I did what I had to do because of that _thing_ nearly killing two of my partners." He questioned as my body reached it's limit and began to shake. I looked down as no more tears came from my eye sockets and my heart raced behind my rib cage. The image of Levi going limp in the man's arms and my father cutting a small slit into his gill was on constant replay in my thoughts.

"Y-You killed him...just like you killed my mother." I sneered before collapsing against my sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist ;) Sorry it took so long to update, School and work is gonna destroy me TT_TT Anyway, thank you so much everyone for the comments, Kudos, bookmarks and reading. It means a lot to see so many people liking this <3  
> If you have any questions/comments or just want to follow me, my name on Tumblr is the same as it is on here. Booksimonseesmorphine  
> (Sorry I don't know how to link things in this box XD)


	10. Sleep overs with a Strategist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "M-Mr.Jinn?" I asked as my voice cracked slightly. Mikasa heard the attempt to speak, her head snapped up and her eyes landed on me. 
> 
> "Yes?" He peered up over his book.
> 
> "May I use the restroom?" The teacher nodded as I got up and left, almost running out of the room. I calmly walked out of the class room then ran down the hall. I could see Levi being carried away by the man, I could hear him screaming my name and begging me to help him. I kept running, eventually I ran out of the building and toward the beach. How no one noticed me running and balling my eyes out was beyond me, My legs gave out and I landed in the sand. I hissed but let it go. "Forget it" I thought, "It's not worth it." I closed my eyes briefly until I heard footsteps in the sand, they stopped by my side.

   The kitchen was silent as I breathed heavily out from my nose. Mikasa held onto my trembling body with a strong grasp. How the hell I lasted this long with him and I in the same room was beyond me. My father stepped back and let go of my shirt. His face gave away what he was thinking.

 "You have no proof, that I killed your mother." I smirked and giggled lightly against my sister, shaking slightly.

 "W-wanna bet?" I looked at him through my hair and caught my composure. Standing up straight against my sister, I glare at him intensively recalling my dream about my mother. "I saw you, in my dream. You did it when I was 10. Something that traumatic is not easily forgotten. " I stated and scooted out of my sister's grip, looking at my "father".

"And your point?" He questioned as his gaze kept on my every action. "Eren seriously this is-"

"Where is your lab." I demanded not letting him finish his statement. My father straightened up, clearly looking as if he was on the verge of combustion.

 "That's none of your concern." He deadpanned as Mikasa let go of my body. She was now by my side but keeping quite.

"Is to, I'm your son I have the right to know! Levi wasn't-"

"Enough! I will not tolerate this nonsense!" He bellowed as I withdrew my threat. With a huff, he stormed out of the kitchen. I was about to follow him out when Mikasa stopped me and shook her head. "It's getting late, we should get some sleep. Plus we have school in the morning. Eren, if you go after him, things will only get worse." She affirmed while I breathed out in attempt to calm myself.

"Alright, fine." I walked out of the kitchen and went for the stairs as Mikasa followed soon after. _"Least that's over and he's gone..for now."_ I pondered on the fact that my Father was so defensive of the "lab". What did he do there? Why couldn't I be in on it?" I didn't realize that I was already in my room again and plopped down on the bed. I scooted up until my head rested on my pillow. I grabbed the blankets and pulled them close to my face, hoping they could help me get away from here, just for a little while.  

"I promise, I'll come find you and bring you back home." I whispered to myself then drifted into a deep sleep.

Morning finally approached, I was kinda surprised that I managed to fall asleep. Mikasa came to my door and knocked twice like she did every morning. 

"Eren?" I rubbed the sleepiness out of my eyes and yawned.

"Y-yeah?"  I called toward my door with a groan when I stretched and my shoulder blades cracked. 

"Come on we have to leave." Mikasa's voice was louder as she made her way down the stairs. I sighed and got out of bed, throwing the covers to the side as I made my way to the restroom to shower.  After the shower, I dried off and wiped the steam away from the mirror. Looking at myself and the bags forming under my otherwise blueish-green eyes. Ignoring the fact that I looked like crap, I got dressed into jeans and a button up plaid shirt. I rustled my hair some and smirked in my mirror.

"Even though you look like crap ya still got it Eren." I snickered and winked at myself,  I shook my head and grabbed my bag and walked out the door toward the stairs. I walked into the kitchen as Mikasa was eating her muffin and sipping on coffee. She peered up at me and raised one of her thick black brows.

"You look nice today." She spoke then took a sip of her beverage. I went to her side and picked up a bagel, giving her a small smile. "Are you okay?" She had a look of concern on her face. 

"For the most part no. But I have an idea."  I placed my bagel in the toaster then went to the fridge to grab some orange juice. Mikasa watched my movements then sipped her drink again. 

"Is it about Levi?" She asked, that hit me hard as I looked down, the depression cloud hovered over me as the metaphorical rain storm fell on my head. Mikasa snorted lightly and pushed my shoulder playfully. "So that plan?" 

"Blown, forget about it." I whined as my bagel popped up. Mikasa put her cup down and moved slightly. She gripped my shoulders tightly from behind and swung me into the nearest wall. With a gasp and a groan she stared right into my eyes with a look that would make a grown man crap themselves. 

"Listen to me. Just because your asshole of a "father" took Levi away does _not_ mean you should give up. That's _not_ you. So get your depressed ass out there and save _your_ man. Do you think Levi would give up on you if the tables were turned? No. He wouldn't. Didn't you see how quick he was to protect you? Eren, open your eyes. He needs you, and that's why I am going to help you bring him home." Her voice was serious as her grip loosened up on my shoulders. I was speechless, she was right. 

"M-Mikasa.." was all I could manage to spit out. 

"Now, grab your stuff, we'll be late to get Armin." She backed away from me as I nodded and ran to the front door after grabbing my shoes. 

(Note to self. Mikasa can get scary as shit when she's determined.) 

 

  We went to Armin's then toward the school. We were all silent at first and I could tell Armin was worried about it as he walked between both of us. It was a pretty nice morning as the first bell rang. English consisted of research and was down right boring if you ask me. I decided to grab the sticky notes and pass one to Armin, Oddly he beat me to it. I unfolded the note.

_"You and Mikasa were really quite this morning...Everything okay?"_ I ran a hand through my hair and sighed quietly. 

" _Just a really rough night..."_ I replied and threw the note back to Armin. He unfolded it and licked his lips after scribbling something down. I took the note back as Armin returned to his text book. 

_"What happened? Did Levi keep you awake?"_ Ouch. I felt a knife stab me in the chest as I bit my lower lip. The image of Levi struggling to breathe burned into my memory. Thankfully no one heard me whimper.

_"Levi is gone..My dad took him away to the lab."_ With a heavy heart I gave the note back. Armin gasps lightly as I raised my hand. I felt like I was going to get sick. Armin watched me as my hand shook slightly. 

"M-Mr.Jinn?" I asked as my voice cracked slightly. Mikasa heard the attempt to speak, her head snapped up and her eyes landed on me. 

"Yes?" He peered up over his book.

"May I use the restroom?" The teacher nodded as I got up and left, almost running out of the room. I calmly walked out of the class room then ran down the hall. I could see Levi being carried away by the man, I could hear him screaming my name and begging me to help him. I kept running, eventually I ran out of the building and toward the beach. How no one noticed me running and balling my eyes out was beyond me, My legs gave out and I landed in the sand. I hissed and laid there. _"Forget it"_ I thought, _"It's not worth it."_ I closed my eyes briefly until I heard footsteps in the sand, they stopped by my side.[  
](http://booksimonseesmorphine.tumblr.com/)

"Eren?" The voice of a female came from above. I opened my eye and looked up, the sun was blinding me but my focus quickly came back. 

"M-Ms. Hange?" I sat up and brushed my shirt off of my face and shirt. She knelled down to my level and put a reassuring  hand on my shoulder. Her skirt and lab coat swaying in the wind. She had papers in her arms again. _"Must be coming out here again for class."_ I assumed.  

"Eren, if I may ask, what's been going on?" She brushed some sand off on my shoulder absentmindedly. My eyes kept at her as I wiped the sand from my hair. 

_"Well,_  there's a certain someone.." I started and she smirked.

"Ah, relationship troubles?" I blushed lightly then nodded. "If you want to talk about it, you can.." She sat besides me after tucking her skirt under her knees.

"Yeah, it's just my dad-" I started.

"Doesn't approve eh?" She glanced over at me as I nodded. Tears assaulted my eyes again. "If it was meant to be, then love will find away. But there is always a catch." I arched an eyebrow and tilted my head to the side.

"A catch, what do you mean?" I questioned _"What the hell is she getting at?_ " I thought as she smiled gently and nodded extending her finger to the ocean. My eyes followed.

"You have to meet it half way. One can not embrace happiness without first going through a struggle. After the storm, the sun will always come out. Do you agree, Eren?" She turned her head to me as tears flowed down my cheeks. She was right, she and Mikasa both were. I needed to meet him half way or at least all the way.

"Yes ma'am, I do agree." I nodded and smiled lightly after wiping my eyes with a my sleeve that wasn't sandy. The sun was beating down on us. I felt warmth against my back, the warmth that came from a mother's embrace. 

"So, you go tell him or her, which ever you prefer, that you will get them back. If yours and their feelings are true, then you _both_ will succeed." She got up and patted her skirt clean from the sand that stuck there loosely. "I have faith in both of you. You'll make it" She smiled brightly and extended her hand to help me to my feet. I took it and patted my shirt and jeans. "Class is about to begin, I'm sure Armin has your things. Plus I put a note on the door to meet out here." She let go of my hand and nodded over to the school. 

"Thank you.." I said from behind her as she walked up the beach. She looked at me over her shoulder. 

"You're welcome, remember, I'm not just some nut case. I have feelings too." She giggled as did I and we met the rest of the class at the position she clearly said on the note. Armin met with my eyes and glared at me while giving me a look that clearly said _"What the hell was that about?"_

"Morning! Everyone put your things on the dock or in the sand doesn't matter. We will be observing the waves and how they break against the sand. I want a paragraph or two on your theories. She handed out a packet to everyone in the group. Armin came toward me with an extra pen which was handed to me. 

"Hey, I brought your stuff with me want toward the rocks over there?" He gestured his pen toward some rocks that shined against the sunlight.

"Yeah sounds good and thanks." We both got papers and walked over toward our spot. The breeze blew our hair slightly as Armin watched my every move like a damn hawk. When we was sure that we were out of ear shot, he spoke.

"What happened back there?" He asked in a hushed tone. I shook my head and kept my eyes straight ahead as we approached the rocks.

"Just needed some air is all." I smiled lightly, remembering what Ms. Hange said to me. Those words I'll cherish for as long as I live. Armin nodded at the fact that I wouldn't budge at telling him what was wrong.  

"Alright, let's get thi-" 

"Do you want to sleep over tonight?" This time I gave him a look as my eye brows arched up, twirling my pen in between my index and middle finger.

"O-oh um, sure?" He rubbed the back of his neck and giggled nervously. "But what about your-"

"Gone, he's at the lab where ever that is." I interrupted him he nodded and began to write on his paper.

"Alright, I'll pack my things when I get home." I smiled lightly as Armin caught onto my plan. His eyes widened and bit his lip slightly. Until it clicked in his head. 

"Eren.." He began to speak again. I snickered. 

"Eren...no.." Armin backed up and put his hands in front of his chest. 

I smirked wider.

"Hey, Armin..." I said as he looked at me with a frightful look. I began to step closer to him.

"I am not, and I repeat, not! Helping you get into your father's lab." He pointed his pen at me and scrunched his nose up. Every time he was "mad" or "upset" he'd give you _that_ look. I laughed loudly and poked his shoulder. 

"Aw, c'mon, please?"  I begged as he shook his head and ignored me the rest of the class. "Party pooper." I whined as I attempted to do my paper. Ms. Hange called everyone back to her to collect our papers. Armin walked besides me silently as I attempted to suppress a giggle.

"Ar-"

"NO." I busted out laughing as he ran off and I followed.

"Aw c'mon! Just hear me out!" I called out as he handed our teacher his assignment.  I caught up with him and picked up my bag as him and I entered the school from the side door.

I poked him in the ribs as he flailed his arms, that was it I officially won.

Ha.Ha.Ha.

"Okay, okay! Fine! I'll listen." I nodded, smiled and thought _"Yay me!"_ I began to tell him my ideas as we walked to Math.

"Wait, so let me get this straight.," Armin put his pen to his lips as we strolled the hallway. His brows drew together after he let out a huge sigh. I smirked as I waited for his reply. "You want to _steal_ back Levi? Is this what you're trying to say?" He looked at me with ocean blue eyes.

"Yeah, pretty much." I nodded and smiled like a moron.

"You didn't think this up to well did ya, Eren?" He glanced at me as he withdrew his pen from his lips.

"Nope. Not at all" I said flatly. He groaned and shook his head.

"You're going to be the death of me Eren, I swear." He laughed lightly as we walked down the halls to Math. Mikasa was already at her desk when we walked into the door. She looked at me and noticed me _beaming_ with joy and Armin looking nervous. We both took our seats and Mikasa turned in her seat.

"Why?" She asked. I glanced at her and tilted my head to the side.

"Why what?" I asked back then she pointed to Armin.

"Why did you break Armin?" I couldn't help but laugh at that. I shook my head and a sub teacher came in. 

"Evening class, for all of you who do not know I'm Mr.Erwin, I will be subbing for your math teacher today, the man got sick" Armin instantly cheered up seeing his favorite teacher. 

"Anyone care to tell me what you've been learning?" He asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all sir. " I stated as the class laughed slightly. Armin shot me a look as I shrugged. 

"Mm, I see. We'll want do you want to do? Want to learn some History?" The class groaned but Armin shook his head "yes." 

He sat down in Mr.Gunther's seat and began to sway back and forth, thinking of something to do. He picked up the class's attendance board, looking down the names until his eyes stopped on a name. 

"Armin, weekend plans?" He asked as Armin jumped in his seat slightly. 

"I'm spending the weekend with Eren and Mikasa,sir." I snorted when I heard Jean growl from behind us.

"Jean? Your plans?" Mr.Erwin looked at him as I coughed and spoke.

"Wallowing about the fact that he can't get it in _cough cough_." Mikasa snorted and the class erupted in laughter. 

"Says you Eren!" _Shit_. He had a point. _Damn it._

_"_ What do you know?" I turned in my seat to look at him. He had a bandage wrapped around his head and over his clearly broken nose. He became silent as did a majority of the class. A huge tension forming. 

"Alright, enough, just relax, it's Friday. If you want, you can do work for a different class." Mr.Erwin put his hands behind his head and leaned back. Mikasa looked over at me. 

"Did you seriously con Armin into sleeping over?" She tapped her fingers on her desk.

"I sure did." I said in a matter-of-fact tone. I leaned over to unzip my book bag and take out my English textbook. She watched me as I did so and blinked a few times. 

"I have no comments." I giggled again as Armin groaned into his textbook. Math/History went by rather quickly. The three of us went to Armin's to pick up his things and head back to my house. 

  We flooded into the kitchen and around the small kitchen table. Mikasa went to the fridge and grabbed some iced tea then poured Armin and I a glass. 

"So, this "plan?" she asked while handing me my glass. Armin nodded and pulled out his notebook from his bag that laid by the wall. 

"Alright, this is what I came up with. Eren your father is very secretive about the "lab" right?" He asked and looked up at me from his notebook. I nodded.

"All I got from Eren's plan was to steal him back. Sadly as much as I hate to admit it, it won't be that easy." Armin uncapped his pen and started to draw shapes on his lined paper. "First, if you're okay with it." He looked up at Mikasa as she nodded for him to continue. "Mikasa, if you can, try to trick Eren's dad into taking you to the lab. Does he know that you were aware of Levi's presence?" 

"Not that I'm aware of, no." She replied as he smiled lightly. 

"Good, than this may just work." He flipped the book over and slid it to the middle of the table. Mikasa and I leaned in and watched him move his pen. 

"If Mikasa can get into the lab, then she can get some information revealing just what is going on in there." Armin circled one of the buildings. "Eren and I will follow close behind but out of sight. If you can, could you try to get his audio player? All scientist or doctors, which ever he is, always document their experiments. If you can get that for me, I can think up of phase two." I chocked on my drink and both Armin and Mikasa jumped slightly.

"Oh god, Armin that's brilliant!" I smiled and wiped my mouth with my sleeve. That earned a smile from him.

"Thanks, thought you'd like it."  He laughed lightly, but got serious. "Are you sure you're with doing that,Mikasa?" He gazed at her through his blond hair. "I'm sorry it's jus-"

"Yes, The plan sounds well thought out." She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. Armin nodded as they both looked at me. "We start this tomorrow or Sunday night, whenever he comes home." 

I nodded then retreated to the backyard. I grinned while walking toward his pool. Placing my hands on the ledge then dropping one into the water. I swayed my hand around the water some.

"I'm coming Levi, just wait a little longer..I'll meet you all the way. I promise.." I whispered as I looked up at the stars in the night sky. Thinking about how wonderful it will feel to have him back in my arms once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo Chapter 10 is finally here XD Hange to the rescue!! I tried my best when it came to the "plan" Also sorry for the wait! Finals were a killer. Anyway, thought I'd "lighten" the mood up a bit with a giggly Eren and a jumpy Armin. Any who, thank you everyone for keeping up with T.O.B.U. It means a lot to see the comments,bookmarks,kudos and all the hits the story has gotten so far. <3  
> If you have any questions or comments about the story, go on and ask me on Tumblr! (still don't know how to link stuff in here XD)


	11. Retrieval

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The house was silent despite my thoughts running a marathon in my head. “What did he do to Levi? What was he going to do to him? Why did he-” I felt Armin’s hand on my shoulder
> 
> “Eren, may I ask something?” Armin looked at me as I nodded slowly. “It’s about Levi..” He started as I kept my gaze on him.

The night was calm as was I. Confidence radiating off of my skin like body heat. Mikasa was going to get into the lab and find out what my Father was up to. Sighing contently, I closed my eyes and thought about nothing but him. His eyes, his lips on mine, his webbed fingers sliding half way down my own. God he was _perfect_. My thoughts ceased when I heard the front door open and my father's voice in the hallway. _"Back already?"_ I shook my head and turned on my heel to go back into the house. I was about halfway to the kitchen when I heard his voice again.

"Oh Armin, I didn't know you were staying the night." My dad walked into the kitchen, putting his brief case down before going to the fridge to grab something to drink.

"I-I'm sorry if I'm intruding, Mikasa asked if I could  help Eren with his math homework and we lost track of time." Armin giggled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. I leaning against the door frame and noticed Mikasa was writing something down vigorously on her notebook. That caught both mine and my dad's attention.

"Mikasa, what's that you're working on?" he asked while pouring himself some tea. Mikasa ran a hand though her jet black hair and sighed like she's been working on writing all day. 

"Mr.Smith assigned us each a Myth or Legend, I got stuck with Merpeople..Armin got Angels and Eren got Titans." She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, making it look like she was attempting to think up what to write next.  My dad nodded to show that he was listening then set his cup down on the counter.

"Looks to me that you're having trouble." My sister nodded as Armin and I looked at each other. "Has Mr.Smith covered the subject?" he asked then went over to his briefcase and picked it up, placing it on the table closest to Armin. . Armin moved his notebook and placed it on his lap staying silent as they spoke.

"Yes, but all he said was what their physical attributes were. Other then that,nothing..Think you could help me out?" Mikasa looked at my Dad with a tired gaze. He thought about it for a moment then fixed his glasses.

"I suppose so, when is it due?" He asked as Armin absentmindedly drew on his page as I bit the inside of my cheek. The force to grin and laugh like a nut job was ungodly. He was falling for it.

"It's due Tuesday afternoon-" Mikasa started but got interrupted by my dad's hand as he shook his head.

"Then we should go now."  He offered and Mikasa looked confused, she played the part so well it was ridiculous. My dad took his case off of the table and made his way to the front door. My eyes followed his every movement. Mikasa emerged from her seat and took her notebook and pen with her.

"To where, If I may ask?" She tilted her head to the side then grabbed her shoes and slipped them on. My dad was halfway out the front door.

"The lab but first,." he started before turning to face the house. “Mikasa, have you _anything_ to do with that beast that was in our backyard?”  Mikasa looked at Armin and I like she was highly confused. I took initiative to look downwards, like I was upset that he brought him up.

“What beast?” She asked while glancing over at Armin and I. Armin shrugged as I stayed silent.  Without another word, he waved her over to follow him.

“Alright, let’s go then.” He began to walk away from the house.

"Be safe." I said as she made her way over to me and embraced me tightly.

"I'll bring him home, just don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." She whispered into my ear then turned to leave out the front door, following my dad’s steps.

The house was silent despite my thoughts running a marathon in my head. _“What did he do to Levi? What was he going to do to him? Why did he-”_ I felt Armin’s hand on my shoulder

“Eren, may I ask something?” Armin looked at me as I nodded slowly. “It’s about Levi..” He started as I kept my gaze on him.

“What about him?” I asked  as Armin tugged on my shoulder for me to follow him back into the kitchen. Him and I both took a seat as Armin sighed softly.

“I was just curious is all so..” He looked to the side then his bright blue orbs went to the floor. My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I felt the “cloud of doom” hover over me, “Has Levi tried to speak to you yet?” I raised one of my eyes brows, remembering the sight of him screaming my name and wallowing in pain.

“Y-yes..” I choked out and felt a shiver go up my spine. I crossed my arms over my chest and glanced downwards then back at my best friend.

“What did he say?” Armin asked again, pulling his notebook out from underneath his seat. I swallowed tears and put on a brave face.

“My name.” Armin’s eyes widened slightly as he smirked, clearly having an idea, “Why?” I inquired as Armin began to scribble something down on his notebook.

“I've been doing some research on Levi’s kind.” That caught my attention, I began to perk up and smile softly.

“Oh,what kind of research?” I tilted my head to the side as Armin turned to the folded page in his book.

“Apparently, Levi’s kind have been around since the 17th century and has been a threat to seamen.” He began then took his pen out from the spiral spine of the book.

“Armin, I know Mr.Erwin told us that but-.” I said but he continued. 

“Merpeople, most of the time can not speak. It’s takes a while for them to actually tap into their vocal cords. Also, you said Levi saved you right?” I nodded in response. “It’s actually kind of funny, in the legends, Mermen or merpeople in general tend to use their singing voices to lure beautiful humans into their traps. Then again, it varies when it comes to the time period that you are talking about. Every Myth and Legend is different in parts of the world. ” The thought of Levi singing made me chuckle as I put my elbow on the table and rested my face in my open palm.  

“Armin, I truly admire you for your genius. You’re amazing at this book stuff.” I complimented as he smiled towards me.

“Anything to help a best friend.” He reassured as I felt my stomach growl. Placing a hand on my tummy, I got up out of my seat to grab the house phone.

“Hey, Armin do you want pizza?” I asked as he shouted a “yes” from the kitchen. I dialed the number for our local pizza shop and felt my stomach cave in on itself.

“Thank you for calling Parlor Park Pizza this is Mina how may I help you?” I smiled when I heard Mina pick up. She was always very nice and gave me a deal since I helped her pass  English with an A last year.

“Hey Mina, it’s Eren. Can I get the usual?” I asked as I heard her giggle into the phone. Her shop made the best pizza you will ever eat and was always the talk of the town.  

“Sure, two pizza pies, one with cheese the other pepperoni right?” She asked as I hummed my response. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“Armin, you want drinks or just tea?” I covered the bottom end of the phone so I didn't yell in her ear.

“Tea is fine!” He replied as I took my hand away from the lower end of the phone.

“Just a liter of Mt.Dew is good.” I heard the restaurant in the background. It was a Friday night and one of their busiest nights of the week.  

“Alrighty, your total is $10.60, are you picking up or do you need Thomas to come drop it off?” Ah, good old Thomas, hopefully he isn't mad about me nailing him in the back the other day in gym.

“Could Thomas bring it over?” I asked as she answered with an “mmhm.” “Cool, thanks Mina you’re the best!”

“Anytime, he’ll be over in about fifteen minutes okay?” I heard the cash register _ding_ , she must have been checking someone out while taking my order. I admired her multitasking skills.

“Sounds good, see you then!” I said then hung up and made my way back to the kitchen to reunite with Armin.

“It’s going to be fifteen minutes alright?” I looked at Armin who was deep in thought. “Hey, you okay?” I poked his side as he nodded.

“Mikasa never said when she’s returning, I just hope she’s alright.” Armin looked at me, I offered him a soft grin.

“Mikasa is strong and can handle her own, that’s why you put her in charge of the retrieving mission. Have more confidence in your skills dude.” I giggled lightly as he swatted my hand away from his rib cage.

Right on the dot Thomas came knocking at my front door. I got up out of my seat again and trotted over to the door, having the money ready that I got from my wallet a moment ago. I opened my door and greeted the delivery boy.

“Hey, Thomas thanks for coming over so late.” I giggled nervously and took the pizzas and soda off his hands after handing him the money and change.

“It’s no prob, it’s my job after all!” He stated after counting the money and slipping in his pocket.

“Want to stay for a slice?” I asked but he shook his head slowly.

“I would if I could, but there’s another delivery waiting in the car, thanks for the offer though!” He smiled then waved goodbye.

“See ya!” I called before shutting the door with my heel and taking the food into the kitchen. “Armin, foods here!” I yelled out while turning into the kitchen and placing the boxes on the table along with the soda.

“Thank goodness, It smelled too good.” He giggled as I reached for the plates and cups on the second shelf. I put a set down by Armin and mine by my seat. I opened the soda bottle and poured myself some then turned to grab the tea from the fridge and fill Armin’s cup.

“Go nuts.” I laughed and opened the first box up, taking two slices and stuffing my face with the warm, cheesy, brick oven piece of heaven. Armin laughed at my expression as he took his pieces as well.

“Ey, Eren, may I ask another question?” I quirked an eyebrow as I took a bite of my dinner.

“Go for it.” I said between bites. I really shouldn't talk with my mouth full, Mom would be pissed like she was in my dream.

“You’re taking this well, Mikasa being gone and such.Why? I thought you’d go nuts by now.” He bit into his dinner as I looked down, putting my slice back on my plate and wiping stray sauce off my mouth with a napkin.

“I-I know, I was trying not to think about it too much..” I trailed off as he nodded his head.

“Sorry for bringing it up..” He looked down slightly ashamed. I shrugged it off and told him not to worry about it. We finished our dinner in silence.

I put the leftovers away along with the drinks. Armin took the remaining of his beverage to the backyard. I followed him and placed my drink on the balcony before making my way to the skimmer. I started cleaning his pool and thinking about him all over again.

“You truly do take good care of him,Eren.” Armin broke the silence and took a sip of his tea. I smiled over to him while I kept cleaning his _"home"_.

“I try, he deserves the best care I can give.” I brought the skimmer out and shook some of the leaves off of it.  ****

Armin gazed up at the nighttime sky, the wind blowing his golden locks some.

“Has he said or shown any signs that he wanted to go back to the ocean?” Armin’s eyes fell on my moving body until I stopped. Thinking back to the day that I asked if he wanted to leave or stay.

“I asked him the other day, he didn't say anything, but he did give off signs that he wanted to stay put. I’m really happy that he-” I heard the back door swing open and saw my sister panting heavily while Her hands were on her knees as she huffed. Armin got up and put a hand on her back as I dropped the skimmer and ran over to her.

“Mikasa, are you okay, what happened?” I asked in a hushed tone, just in case my dad was listening. She nodded and put a hand up, telling us to give her a moment. Finally getting her composure back she sighed heavily and fixed her red scarf back to it’s normal position. “I’m back.” She stated as I rolled my eyes and Armin giggled softly.

“Did you get the recorder?” I asked with a bit of impatience being presented in my tone of voice.  She reached in her back pocket with a smile and pulled out the small sliver device with a label on the top that read _“B.A.H.E.phase 1.”_  

“Damn right I did.” She kept her smile as Armin took it from her grasp.

“Is he in there?” Armin asked as Mikasa shook her head. 

“No, he’s still at the lab, he told me to go home because it was getting late.” Armin and I nodded as him,Mikasa and I made our way back to the kitchen to analyze the recordings and come up with phase two of our plan.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has been keeping up with "The Ocean Between Us." I means a lot to me to see all of you guys enjoying this fic. The Kudos,bookmarks, comments and readings means so much! Thank you again everyone, stay amazing <3 (also I apologize if this chapter is a bit short)  
> If you have any questions/comments, ask my on Tumblr! My name on there is the same as it is on here.  
> Booksimonseesmorphine (I'll figure out how to link stuff in this box eventually XD)


	12. Rec. phase 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My eyes glared at the tape when it ended. Blind furry sunk into my veins. I was going to kill him and make him pay for what he was planning on doing to my.Levi."
> 
>  
> 
> ((You all waited for Eren to lose his temper, well ya got it..He also has a very colorful vocabulary in this chapter haha.))

Mikasa, Armin and I crowded around the small table with the recorder in the middle of the table. “Well, are you going to press play?” I asked as my eyes shifted to Armin. He nodded and pushed the rewind button. The sound of a tape being wound filled the room until a loud click pushed the play button up. Armin reached for the button then pushed it down. The message started with a static noise then cleared into my father’s voice.

_“It is Thursday night around 7:00 p.m, I recently found something worth experimenting on. My son, Eren made this all to easy, honestly.”_ He began as my blood began to boil. Armin twirled his pen between his forefinger and thumb as Mikasa concentrated on the voices. _“He’s a merman and- t_ here was a voice that unmistakably Levi's interrupting my dad. 

_Fuck you you bastard! Let me go!”_ Saying he sounded pissed was an understatement. 

_" Ah, see he’s woken up. About time.” _My dad replied to him. The tape made a few noises like someone was shuffling papers than a loud " _bang"_.

_“Will you please stop pounding on the damn glass. You must be patient you’ll be out soon.”_ My Father stated with a slight annoyance in his voice.

_"Oh hell no! You’re not going to touch me you old ass perv. I don’t even know why you took me away from him anyway.”_ Levi huffed.

_"Because, I have made a serum that will be tested on you. Whether you like it not." ****_I heard the speakers silence for a brief moment.

_" I will be ending this type session for now.”_ The tape stopped but picked up a moment later. The conversation continuing. _“It is now almost ten and-"_

_”Will you stop telling me the time I don’t care.”_ Levi hissed toward my father. 

_“You know for a monster you talk a lot.” I am no monster the only one here is you._

_“You’re such an annoyance.”_

_You’re a big ass annoyance. So are you thugs, You just got off lucky, I dropped my guard. Just you wait until I get out of her I’ll whoop your ass.”_ I snickered as I shook my head.

"Damn, that asshole is getting an ear full." I stated as Armin put a finger to his lips. Signalling me to hush up as he scribbled notes down. 

_“How my son put up with you is beyond me but anyway”_ My father cleared his throat then got up, I could hear the creaking on the chair emit from the small speakers. My dad spoke again _“Is the serum ready?”_

_"Yes boss.”_ Came a random male voice from somewhere in his lab.

_"Good.”Let's begin then."_ Mikasa, Armin and I could hear the smirk in his voice. My heart caught in my throat and it felt hard to breathe again. What the hell was he planning? "Armin, what does that label on the top of the recorder say?" I asked as he picked up the device and searched for the label. 

"It says B.A.H.E phase 1." He replaced the device to where it was as Mikasa drew her brows together. Bringing her finger to her lips, she began to ponder. 

"What does that acronym stand for?" She thought out loud as Armin and I both shrugged. Her and I were on the same page, for I was wondering what it stood for to. 

"Maybe he'll say it? " Armin questioned then everything became silent amongst us. Nothing but the rustling on the kitchen's curtains were making a noise. The tape brought up someone panting heavily.

_"S-stop it hurts.."_ Levi whimpered as my father snickered. 

" _Not so bad ass now are we?"_ He questioned as Levi began to wiggled on the table. We heard his nails tap on metal as he hissed. _"I need you to tighten up the straps on his tail and chest."_ I heard a shuffle again as Levi snapped at the man who was tightening the straps. 

_"Piss off."_ He growled as the man snickered until his chuckles turned into wallows of pain. 

_"G-Grisha, he fucking bit me!"_ The man cried as Levi giggled evilly in the background. 

_"Remind me to bound his mouth next time."_ My dad spoke to the man then sighed when his chair creaked again. _"Now hold still this will only hurt if you squirm."_ Levi's breathing began to quicken as he became panicked. 

_"N-no..no..I don't want this..Eren..Eren...EREN!"_ Levi screamed as the taped stopped. The play button being pushed up and waiting to be played again.

My eyes widened and glared at the device when it ended. Blind furry sunk into my veins. I was going to kill him and make him pay for what he was planning on doing to my.Levi. I felt Armin and Mikasa starring at me the entire time. My focus on nothing but that god damn tape. 

"Eren are you-" 

"I'm gonna kill him..I'll fucking rid him of this world! I swear it!" I pounded my fists on the table as the machine bounced then knocked over on it's side. Armin jumped slightly as Mikasa watched me. 

"Eren, I don't think that's a smart idea..First off you-"

"Shut up! I want to get him home! I thought you were on my side! Ugh dammit this is bull!" I yelled at my sister as Armin sat there poking at the machine. Mikasa huffed and glared at me. Highly aggravated if that, she turned to Armin that back at me. Her black eyes narrow as she studied my movements.

"I'm telling you, if you'd listen!" She called out as she growled and got into my face. My face was red with furry as I bared my teeth. My fingers curled into my palm as I worried my bottom lip between my teeth. 

"Tell me what!? That this is meaningless and that you think w-we should just give up!? Am I right Mikasa or what?!" I got right back into her space as she backed away slightly for breathing space. 

"Eren, if you-" She began but I put my hand up to stop her from speaking. I didn't want to hear it. 

"No. Mikasa we are..-" I stopped speaking when I noticed Armin was going to town on his notepad. Vigorously writing something down and having his headphones in his ears, re-listening to the tape. Mikasa's eyes followed mine as she became silent as well. Our fight died out as her and I took our seats again. 

He just kept writing, Mikasa and I got up every once and a while to grab a drink or to use the bathroom. Armin however, didn't move except his pen and his free hand now and a then. He ran his left hand through his hair one last time before sighing. 

"Armin?" I asked as he looked up at me with exhausted blue eyes. 

"Hm?" He blinked then looked at me and Mikasa. My sister put a hand on his back and rubbed softly. 

"What were you writing about?" I asked as Mikasa tore her gaze away from me to Armin. 

"I think I figured out what that stands for." He yawned the rubbed his eyes. It was close to two in the morning by now. I cocked an eyebrow up as did my sister. We both were curious at to what it stood for.

"Did my Father say it or are you going out on a limb here?" I inquired as he shook his head. 

"That's where I'm a tad confused, I believe I know what it means,however, he's implying it, not clearly saying it." Armin flipped a few pages to point out some information. "Levi was in obvious pain from when your father injected him with some type of serum, why would he want to you ask?" I locked my gaze on my best friend and my heart began to pound against my rib cage.

_"What the hell was he getting at?"_ I thought to myself until it clicked in both mine and Mikasa's head. 

"There's no easy way to say it. Or explain it if that." He began as I looked at my sister confused. 

"So what are you saying my dad want's to _become_ a merman?" I tilted my head to the side as Armin laughed lightly. 

"It's the opposite actually.." He stated as my eyes widened.

"Oh god.." I brought my hand to my mouth to keep myself from screaming out. My anger fuming again as tears fell from my eyes. Mikasa glanced down at the floor then back to Armin.

"Armin is what you're saying true?" She asked for me, knowing that I couldn't trust my voice. My body began to tremble as the thought of my father harming Levi buried deep into my veins. 

"As much as I hate to admit it,yes." Armin sighed out and pitched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "What that code B.A.H.E stands for is Becoming.A.Human.Experiment and he's only on phase one of who knows how many.."

"H-he..he's attempting to turn Levi into a human.." I chocked out as Armin and Mikasa watch me as my body caves in on it's self and my heart shatter into pieces. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mainly used to explain what was on the tape. Sorry it's short, however, chapter 13 will be longer. (and will possibly be posted sometime this week) Thank you everyone for the Kudos,comments,bookmarks and readings!  
> If you have any questions/comments, Follow/Ask me on Tumblr :)  
> Booksimonseesmorphine


	13. Infiltrate the Lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I heard a small "clack" from the left, like someone dropped a knife on the floor as it pounded against my ears. I turned my head to the left slightly but saw nothing, just blood smearing down the walls and trailing toward a body leaned up against the wall. I recognized it almost immediately. "
> 
> If you really want to get in depth with this chapter, listen to this when Eren enters the lab. "I peered into the experiment room" is where it starts. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUwDI_bV-U

 I stood in the silence of the kitchen with Mikasa and Armin’s eyes glued to my body. The only sound came from my kitchen window with the pure white curtains dancing in the slight breeze.  “Why..?” I breathed out as Armin and my sister kept their gaze. “Why the hell does he want to change him into a human..?” Armin ran a hand through his golden hair and shrugged.

“Eren, will you be alright..? I-it was just a suggestion..We won’t know until we go over there.” I looked over at my sister and best friend. The silence came back but my mind broke it.

_“I can't do this..it’s damn near impossible. I-”_ Glancing down at my open palms, I backtracked to the numerous times we attempted to hold hands. Levi would struggle to hold my hand completely due to the webbing between his fingers, but he never gave in, so why was I feeling so weak?  My vision blurred when I tore my gaze away too quickly from my open hands. I swore I saw my Mother standing besides my sister. Her beauty as radiant as ever as she began to speak. 

_“Eren, you need to do this..for him..for your sister, Armin and me. Stop your father at all costs. He’s a danger to us and to himself.”_ I watched as my mother walked toward me, placing her hands on my shoulders. _“Believe in yourself,Eren..I raised you better than to simply give up when things seem to hard. Remember...you have Armin and Mikasa to back you up. You’re not going in this alone son..”_ She drew me into a tight embrace and I felt tears pricking at the corner of my eyes.

“You’re right, I’m sorry mom..” She smiled warmly down at me and kissed my head softly before she backed up and looked over me.

_“I couldn't be anymore proud of who you've become,Eren.”_ Tears flowed freely as I picked my head up and turned on my heel to run towards my room. I didn't hear Mikasa yelling at me from the kitchen in wonderment on where it was that I went.

_“Thank you Mom..I promise to stop him.”_ I thought as I barged into my room and dug through my things for my black hoodie and walkie-talkies. Making my way back downstairs, I met back up with Mikasa and Armin.

“Eren, what are you thinking?” My sister inquired as I strode around her toward the kitchen cabinet to grab a knife.  

“We leave tonight.” I stated as I handed Mikasa and Armin a pocket knife we kept close just in case of a robbery.  

“W-Wait I-I can’t.” Armin confessed while Mikasa nodded and took the weapon along with the communication device.

“Armin, please just take it. Give me a piece of mind,I honestly don’t think a pen and notepad will help any.”  Armin stood there bewildered as I held out the knife and walkie-talkie in front of him. With a shake of his head he bit his lip then took his gear.

“Alright, I’ll do it.” I smiled and gave him a curt nod.

“Good. Let’s go, Mikasa you remember how to get their right?” I asked as she affirmed “Than you'll lead us." I stated before we walked over to the front door to begin our mission.

 It was still dark out when we left the house on our pursuit to get Levi back home. The air was frigid while Armin, Mikasa and I walked. “How far away is it?” I asked as Mikasa glanced at us from over her shoulder.

“About fifteen minutes away, we have to go into the town then after that, it’s just past the school". She turned back around as we continued our hike. The town was peaceful, with dim, comfortable yellowish orange streetlamps painting a way toward the school.

Each building had it’s own unique trait to it. Some had windowsill gardens, some with their curtains draw shut. I admired them all to the smallest detail, but now wasn't the time. I began to fall behind with my thoughts. The constant pondering on if my Mom was watching, if Levi was alive. It was all too much to take in all at once.

“C’mon Eren, try to keep up.” I heard Mikasa’s voice call from over her shoulder.   I nodded as we passed the dark school and into the woods. “Alright, it’s just beyond that tree line, it’s a small shack that leads underground and into his lab. There are guards everywhere so keep your weapon handy and walkie-talkies close.” She finished before reaching over to her’s and turning it on,Armin and I soon followed.

A few steps later and lo and behold, there it was. The small building that was nestled in between two tree trunks and could easily be missed. It had a brown roof that blended in with the tree trunks and a grayish colored exterior.  “Ready guys?” She asked as Armin and I both nodded and followed her to the wooden door that had a keypad beside it.

“Shit, there’s a code. Mikasa did-” Before I could finish, the door swung open.

“You knew the code?” I asked as she nodded.

“Not that hard to figure out when it was your birthday. Plus I peered over his shoulder.” I blushed slightly and glanced to the side.

“ _I_ could’ve guessed that” I mumbled as she shook her head and began to walk into the darkness with Armin and I close behind her. The staircase descended for a fairly good amount of time that it cause my thighs to burn slightly. 

The walls were a metal grey and had small lamps lit the way down the narrow hall. After hitting the last step, the congested walls of the staircase opened wide into a small lobby like area.  It was plane and was occupied by no one but us. “Mikasa, now where?” I asked while she gestured for us to follow her down another hallway. 

“This way, just keep your eyes peeled, it’s too quiet, when I was here there were guards everywhere.” Armin and I silently concurred while we made our way to the _“East Wing”_ as the signs above our heads displayed. 

We kept silent despite our footsteps clanking against the metal flooring. With every turn and shuffle of my feet, I was starting to lose hope and become scared. There was no one here and this was unusual, I haven’t seen _any_ guards nor my Father. Haven’t heard any voices besides Mikasa’s. My sister stopped in her tracks when a shadow stretched across the walls. “Hide!” She whispered as we took shelter behind a wall.

A guard walked past with his flashlight and weapon by his side along with another male. They were deep in conversation when they stopped besides us.

_“Shit.”_ I thought to myself as I felt Armin tremble behind me. _“Stay calm..”_ I reminded myself as Mikasa emerged from the shadows and grabbed a guard from behind. Hoisting him off the ground and throwing him over her shoulder.

“Eren,Armin! Run find the Experiment Room and get Levi! I’ll hold them off!” I side stepped out from behind the wall and gave my sister a look like she was nuts

“How!? You know the way-”  

“Eren just follow the signs!” She bellowed while blocking the second guard’s punch with ease.

“Ugh fine but you better get back to me!” I yelled while taking Armin by the wrist and ran down the vast hallways. Hearing our feet pound against the floor and Mikasa's grunts as she beat the guards to a pulp. 

 

 Armin and I ran for what seemed like miles until we finally arrived at the room. It had a huge black door and a warning sign in front of it that ordered whoever it was to enter with caution and to wear safety goggles. 

I heard Armin swallowed loudly as I gave his wrist a soft squeeze before letting go. Reaching for the door handle, I peered over to the side and once again, there was a pin pad.

“Eren” Armin finally spoke up. “try your birthday to unlock the door.” He suggested and I did just that. As he predicted, it worked. The large door slid opened as a flickering light welcomed us to a horrifying sight.  

I peered around the experiment room, nothing but blood stained walls was in my vision and bodies on the floor that littered almost every tile. Papers were scattered over the floor, coffee mugs were ether tipped over or broken on the floor while desks were in disarray . 

I shuffled forward as the silence pierced the room. I didn't dare call out for him. It was too risky. I heard Armin's steps behind me as we made it to the middle of the station. My father was no where to be found nor was Levi.. _"Did he escape?"_ I pondered as I continued to walk forward and finally received the courage to speak up.

"L-Levi..?" I whispered lowly, but loud enough for someone who was beside me to hear. I heard a small _"clack"_ from the left side of the room, like someone was standing and dropped a knife on the floor as the noise pounded against my ears. I turned my head to the left slightly but saw nothing, just blood smearing down the walls and trailing toward a body leaned up against it. I recognized it almost immediately.    

It was my Father..   

 My breath caught in my throat as a shiver traveled down my spine and shook my entire being. "D-dad..What happened to you..?" I asked as I fell to my knees in front of him and reached out for what was left of my Father's shoulder. My hand began to tremble as I caressed his face and heard Armin shutter audibly.

Blood smeared down his cheek and onto the collar of his white shirt, his glasses were broken while glass shards fell from the frames.  I was speechless as I withdrew my hand and brought my bloody fingertips to my chest. "Eren.." Armin whispered as I shook.   _  
_

_"Where's Levi..?"_ I worried my bottom lip between my teeth as I thought, completely forgetting that Armin was in the room with me. 

I closed my eyes and shook the thoughts of Levi dying along side my father away. That the experiment went horribly wrong and took both Levi and My father’s life. I had to hold on to that little string of hope I had left. My eyes slipped open while my pupils fell on my Father's lifeless body. I scanned my surroundings for Levi.

"Where are you Le-" My jaw became slack when my eyes fell upon a body laying on it's side a few steps away from my father.

The black hair spread across the cold tiled floor accompanied by small blood stains present on their neck and smearing down their spine, scars replaced gills on their neck, pointy ears now normal,the pale skin was undenyingly his, It was Levi. My breathing stopped for a brief second as I crawled over to him. My heart raced and it felt like it was about to shatter my rib cage. 

"No..no no no.." I stuttered as I felt Armin's eyes follow my movements. "L-Levi..Levi please.." I whimpered while tears painted my cheeks, I was now behind him with my hand on his bare back.  "W-wake up.." I begged as I gently rocked him. 

My world came to a halt as I reached for his shoulder where the knife pierced him from our second meeting. The wound was half way scabbed over and infected as of what I could see. I pulled on his shoulder, his body limp as it rolled in front of my knees.

_I was too late._

I leaned over him and slipped my hands careful under his shoulders and brought him close to my chest. I noticed a cut on his forehead, just above his right eye, a bruise on his cheek along with a busted bottom lip. My eyes trailed downwards to his waist and noticed his tail was gone and replaced with pale beaten and bruised legs that were partly covered with shadows.

His complexion was whiter than I remembered, he looked and felt weak in my arms. My heart stopped while my grip on his forearm tightened. All thoughts of us living a somewhat happy life was gone.  "I-I'm sorry..I didn't make it t-too you in time.." I whimpered as I brought my head down to rest on his head. Cursing every damn thing my Father did to him. Not paying attention, I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder and a warm body hug my side tightly. I brought my head up too glance at who was touching my shoulder and holding me. 

Mikasa had returned with a bloody lip and Armin settled to embrace me. Him along with myself, assumed the worse. The silence loomed over us, nothing but my cries and sniffling were heard. Bowing my head once more, I laid my ear on his chest.

That small string that I had felt like it was slipping away and disintegrating at the seams. I wanted to apologize to my mother for not protecting him, for not believing in myself earlier, just apologize to Levi for not coming in time to save him. 

My thoughts ceased when l felt a small raise in his chest, like he was struggling to breath and heard a heartbeat pound calmly against his rib cage. My head snapped upwards as I glared at the sleeping man in my arms. I heard him wheeze as I watched his eyes open slowly.

"Levi..?" I asked as he blinked a few times in order to regain his vision. I sat there awestruck while my eyes glued to his face. 

"Eren..?" He breathed out and reached a hand with achingly slow movements toward my face. He cupped my cheek and stroked with a gentle slide of his thumb, smearing loose tears across my cheek. 

"Oh god..Levi.." I chocked on my tears as I brought him close to my chest and planted my face in the crook of his neck, sobbing openly while he laid in my arms, hushing me and reassuring me that he was alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Raise of hands, who thought it was Levi who died when they read the "Major Character Death" archive warning?- :P
> 
> Way over due chapter update, but wow! Thank you everyone for following the fic! You're all amazing and if I could hug you all, oh I so would! <3 Again, thank you for the Kudos, bookmarks, comments and readings! :D  
> If you have any Questions/Comments ask/follow me on Tumblr!  
> -Booksimonseesmorphine


	14. I'll Carry You Home,Sweetheart...I promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I thought our ending would have been bitter, a lot more difficult then this..  
> I thought I was going to lose you and face the world alone...  
> guess I was wrong...  
> For once, I'm happy I was...  
> Thank you Mom..for everything.."

   My tears painted his shoulders as Mikasa and Armin watched me sob into him.  So much was going through my head. Seeing my father dead on one side of the Lab and seeing Levi besides him. I couldn't help but weep.

I needed to, through the pain and relief I was feeling, I felt a storm forming in my mind, but now wasn't the time to ponder on my feelings, I had to get him home and out of harms way. _We_ needed to be safe.

“Eren, we should go..The town will be awake soon..” Mikasa’s voice echoed off the empty walls of the bloody lab as I nodded,picking up Levi bridal style as I did so.

“Alright, sounds g-good.” I hiccuped and stood up on wobbly legs as we walked out of that nightmare. Levi's grip on my shirt never faulted, if anything, it got stronger with every step I took. I glanced down at him,wondering what was going on in his head,I can only imagine.. Not that I'd want to..

As we ascended up the stairs and out of the lab, I felt like something was pulling me back toward the little shack. I looked back once more to see if anything was there or maybe a guard had found us and was reporting that we infiltrated the lab. It didn't come, just a shiver went down my spine.

_"Good,keep it that way. I had enough for one day anyway."_ I thought to myself as we kept walking forward.

It was still dark outside even with a few spots of blue poking out from the otherwise black cloudy sky. Armin and my sister walked beside me, I could tell by the few glances that Armin shot me, he had more questions about how the hell my Dad ended up making Levi into a human rather than leaving him be.

If he was content with being part fish then let him, right? Obviously, my father and his team thought differently.

My thoughts kept pounding in my brain like that 1972 _Atari_ game named _Pong_. Literally, everything bounced against some part of my skull, My head was beginning to pound as Levi was falling asleep and shivering in my arms. Gazing down at him, I saw his breath puffing out from his lips with ever tremble he gave.

"Hold on a second." I stated while Mikasa and Armin stopped their steps. By now, we were by the school and almost home.

"What's wrong?" My sister asked as I held Levi out towards her.

"Take him for a moment please?" I asked as she nodded,taking him carefully from my arms and into her's. If I hadn't known better,I could have sworn I heard him whimper.

Guilt only filled my heart briefly as I removed my hoodie and slid it onto Levi, hoping at least _some_ body heat was left in there and that he could use it to warm up,even just for a few moments.

"Eren, you could catch a cold without a hoodie on or at least something-" Mikasa started but I ignored her, as my sister and I maneuvered him so his arms slid in comfortably and the hoodie slid down his back. leaning into it, he nuzzled closely. I held him firmly to my chest, not daring to let him go and walk on his own. For the fear that he didn't know how to walk nor the reality that he was now human and could never return him to the place he once knew.  

He couldn't go back home.

"He needs it more than I do." I stated as she handed him back over, and with that, she was silent the rest of the way home.

After a few moments strolling in the town, we made it to our house. Thankfully no one was awake yet, but by how the sky was looking, they would be up soon. Once everyone was inside and present, Armin shut the door and slid down it, the reality that he just helped me rescue Levi and see his fair share of dead bodies hit him pretty hard.

"D-did that just happen?" He asked as my sister and I nodded,his shaking hand running through his golden hair. This was too much for him,but I'm happy he came with me. Same with Mikasa. Without them and my Mother watching, I would still be a crying cursing mess.

"Mikasa,I'm going to take Levi up to the bathroom to clean up, would you mind making some hot tea for us..?" I asked as Levi's trembling began to lessen.

"Sure." Mikasa said as she turned on her heel and left for the kitchen. Armin was still seated as I knelled down to his level.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked as Armin nodded, hiding his face in his knees.

"Just give me a moment..Okay?" He asked, voice muffled due to him hiding.

"Alright, I'll meet you guys back here in a few." I trailed off as Armin nodded,his hands still trembling as I got back onto my feet.

"Hey Armin," I started as his ocean blue eyes peered up at me through his hair. "Thank you." I smiled reassuringly as he lifted his head up to face me.

"For what?" He asked as my smile kept on my face.

"Everything." I stated then made my way up the stairs and into the bathroom.

                               

 Once we were inside, I sat Levi down on the toilet carefully and started the water. When the gush of running water made a loud noise, Levi jumped slightly and reached out for me. "Hey, hey, it's alright Levi, relax..It's just water, It won't hurt you." I said, hoping my words came out with a courageous tone rather than a shaky one.

His grasp was deadly on my shirt sleeve and made it hard to move. Now isn't the time to say but I have to admit, him swimming in my hoodie was probably the most cutest thing in the world.

"Levi, I need my arm back so I can help you." I stated as he shook his head _"no"_.  "It's okay I promise." I said while turning around to remove my hoodie from his shoulders.

"Eren.." He whispered as I raised an eyebrow at him, he was shaking when he saw his scared up legs and ran a hand through his hair. "Why..?" He whimpered again as I shook my head after removing his badly cut up shorts. 

"I-I don't know..I wish I did though." I frowned as I picked him up and placed him in the warm water. He relaxed some and drew his knees to his chest. Like he was trying to hide from the world. His stab wound looked dreadful, I needed to clean that up again along with the rest of his fresh wounds. I pondered on if I should ask him if it hurt, if he cried when he was injected, or how my Dad died..?

I bit my lower lip and sucked it up.

"Levi..d-does it hurt..?" I asked while he sat in the bathtub, silently, like he was trying to process what just happened in a matter of a day plus a few hours. It took him a few moments until he sighed and began to speak.

"I-it hurt.." He began then gazed up at me through his black bangs, "It hurt knowing that I wouldn't be able to see you more then becoming a human..honestly.."

My eyes widened, _"If he died during the experiment, I think I'd be upset too."_  I thought and kept listening.

"But you're human now..doesn't that bother you?" I asked as he shook his head,his hair shifting side to side.  He brought his hands up to examine the scars that his webbing left behind. Then his silver eyes averted to his legs,tracing the scars that elongated on his pale complexion.

"No..I learned to live with it, I had no choice in the matter, it is what it is." He spoke as I got up to grab a wash cloth then reached for the soap.

"May I ask something?" I questioned as Levi shook his head _"yes."_ "W-well two things actually." I added.

"One, why did you hold back on speaking if you knew how when we first met?" I pondered as Levi brought his hands down to his knees with a huff.

"I wanted to make sure I could trust you,plus..I-it takes a while to tap into my vocal cords." I nodded then brought the wet cloth to his shoulder, with a hiss, he backed away from it. I laughed and shook my head, remembering that he did the same thing the first time we met.

"Alright, fair enough." I stated as he pouted toward the cloth.

"I don't like that thing. It hurts." He growled as I reached a hand out to slide over the back of his neck. Bringing him closer so I could kiss his temple.

"I know but I need to clean your wounds." I smiled as he blushed lightly. "Question two, are you upset that you can't go back to the ocean..Your real home...?" I trailed off with a singe of guilt hanging over me. "I-if it wasn't for me, you'd still be a merman and at home..Where you belong-"

"I told you once and I meant it.." He interrupted while slipping his arms around my neck,placing our foreheads together.  " Home is with you Eren, without you, there is no such thing as home. Only loneliness would exist." And with that, I pressed our lips together..not wanting to hear another word roll off his sweet lips until I kissed him breathless.

                 

  Our bathroom conversation ended and all his open wounds were washed and covered with ether gauze or bandages, Mikasa would have my ass for how shitty I wrapped him up. I went back into my room to grab him some shorts and a t-shirt that he yet again,swam in. I was about to leave for the steps and then it hit me.

"Levi, can you walk?" I asked as he attempted to stand up from the edge of the tub where I left him. His legs wobbled and he was about to fall back into the draining water until I ran and caught him.

"W-working on it." He sighed as I lifted him up, he wrapped his arms around my neck as I piggybacked him down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Armin and Mikasa were sitting down at our round table, having a conversation when Levi and I popped in.  Mikasa watched as I set him down carefully, like he was made of glass and would break if I dropped him.

"Eren." My sister stated as my head snapped up from where I placed Levi. "Did you wrap him up?"

_Lecture time._

"Yeah,why?" I asked while taking a seat next to him, our tea cups still emitting steam.

"It sucks." She spat as Armin giggled lightly and Mikasa shook her head.

"Shut it." I hissed as she ran a hand through her raven black hair. I looked toward Armin, he had his notebook open and twiddling with his pen.

"Levi, may I ask a few questions?" He asked as Levi sipped on his tea, my sister put a straw in it for him,knowing he'd be shaky. He nodded and sat back slowly.

Armin smiled as Levi waited. "Okay, Do you remember anything that happened after Eren's father took you from the pool?" I winced when the memory came back.

"A little bit, I-I remember the lab being kind of dark and boring looking." Levi looked up as if he was attempting to remember something. "Eren's father's lab room was ungodly dim and I felt uncomfortable. The tube he dropped me in made my skin tingle and burn in some parts." He admitted as Armin scribbled notes down in his notebook.

"Okay, now how about the process of becoming a human-?" He asked and Levi looked downwards, he gave off the feeling of being uncomfortable with remembering the situation. I cleared my throat loud enough to get Armin and Levi's attention.

"No need to interrogate him Armin,seriously  he just-"

"Eren, shut it and let Armin be. If Levi is okay with replying to his inquires, then let him." Mikasa hissed as I got out of my seat.

"Well maybe he wants him to knock it off! Maybe he-"

"Eren." Levi gripped my forearm and shook his head. "I'm fine." He blinked up at me as I sat back down, grumbling and blushing slightly.

"I do remember a small portion of the process. It was.. _painful_..however, it hurt more knowing why he was doing this in the first place. According to what I heard before I got knocked out, Eren's dad was planning on making a serum for bringing back his wife. He said something about the _"guilt being too much."_ Then silence, the conversation was going in and out like someone was tuning a radio in my ears. He said if it worked on me, then it should work on her, however, it didn't work the first time nor the second. It took him about fourteen tries until he got it right. That's why I have so many scars.." Levi breathed as his hands wrapped around his warm tea cup.

My eyes widened as I shook in my seat, Armin wrote everything down the spoke up again. "So what you're saying is that Eren's dad was attempting to make an antidote for bringing Eren's mother back from beyond the grave?" Levi nodded.

"However, he did give it up and rearranged the potion some how. He settled for making me human." Levi looked down at his tea, Mikasa put a soft hand on my shoulder then squeezed it lightly.

"It all makes sense now..he was going to use her as an experiment..but she didn't corroborate so he had to silence her..That why my mom hid us in my dream.." tears brimmed my eyes as I let my head fall. _"Damn him and his fucked up mind."_  I whimpered in my head as Armin finished his sentence he was writing.

"Did he say why he wanted to bring her back?" Armin asked as Levi shook his head slowly. "Did you see how he died?" Armin asked as Levi shook his head again.

"The burning kept up, but mostly in my bottom half. Like my tail was melting off, then I felt a stinging sensation, like someone kept poking me with a needle." Levi admitted as Armin jotted down his replies. 

"Interesting..on a scale of one to ten, how would you describe the pain after the injection?" Armin tapped his pen on the paper as I wiped my eyes.

"Eight." Levi replied as his hand slipped into mine under the table. Giving it a reassuring squeeze.

                               

  Armin asked a few more questions that night until we all thought it'd be a good time to go to bed since it was about five in the morning. Armin took the couch as Mikasa and I went to our rooms along with Levi, I wouldn't let him out of my sight. Even if I had to carry him everywhere.

He was home and that's all that mattered.

"Eren?" He spoke up after I laid him in my bed and covering him up.

"Yes?" I replied as he reached up and grabbed my sleeve.

"You're staying..right?" I cocked an eyebrow at him, kind of confused on what he meant by "staying".

"Of course." I said as he pulled at my sleeve to come closer to him. "Levi what are you-" I was about to ask until he shook his head and sighed contently, bringing me close to his chest. "Hold on." I stated as I slipped out of his hands and onto my bed, laying so I was facing him then pulled him so his head rested comfortable on top of my chest.

"I like this better." He trailed off while his eyes slipped shut.

"Me too." I smiled then fell asleep as well with him in my arms.

The next few days or even months would be hard. Not having parents, teaching Levi to walk and _shit_ , I still had a project to do for English on Tuesday. _Oops._

 It took about a month for Levi to get the walking aspect of becoming a human down, poor guy was beaten up from falling almost all the time. Mikasa taught him how to fight, just in case he needed to. Armin, had a say in his quest too, he taught Levi how to read and write properly. It was kind of funny seeing Armin teaching Levi but hey, the kid was a genius.

The pool he swam in is still in our backyard and by some miracle so is the sand that we wrote our names in so many months ago. The memories stayed put as well.

Mikasa, Armin and I all graduated from our high school in June and of course, Armin was at the top. ( _Show off._ ) Mr.Erwin couldn't have been happier that his favorite student graduated in the top ten, with honors.  

My sister,Levi and I still live in our beach house that my Mother adored so much. We didn't have the heart to leave. However, Mikasa,Armin and I got jobs and pitched in so we could keep it.  Along with Armin's Grandparents helping out as well.

We all still go to the beach together and thankfully, it doesn't bother Levi anymore. At first he was afraid to go back, but we slowly lured him in.

                           

  Levi and I went to the beach that afternoon. It was comfortable despite it being mid July. The leaves on the scarce trees in my town were blowing lightly as was our hair. Levi and I held hands as we walked down the warm sand and toward the ocean.

Having our towels between our arms and fingers interlocked ( _all the way_ ) felt nice and calming. I could actually hold his hand properly now. We found a comfortable spot and laid our towels down, the wind was light, so we didn't need to worry about our towels blowing away. Afterwards, we raced each other to the ocean.

Levi won and we dove into a wave, enjoying the cool ocean that swept through us. I came up first and was waist deep in water.

Levi came up next to me, emerging from the water with a curious look on his face. "Did ya find something?" I asked as Levi nodded and brought an item up to the surface.

"What's this?" He asked as I smiled happily, reminiscing about our adventure for the good and the bad times.

"It's a _sand dollar_." I implied as he tilted his head to the side. His sopping wet hair sticking to his face and dripping water down his shoulders.

"I knew it looked familiar, I saw a lot of these when I was a merman." His brows knitted together as I placed my forefinger under his chin and my thumb against it.

"I find it kinda funny and nostalgic." I began as my merman peered up at me,slightly confused as the waves hit our waists genitally. "I was looking for this when I was in Science class one day, it was the only thing left on my scavenger hunt list. For some reason, I found everything but that."

"Hm, I see, was that the day I saved you from the rip current?" He asked as I nodded.

"Yes, and you know what?" I breathed as his cheeks got darker,the wind picked up some as I leaned in to kiss him. "I thought  I would never find it, looks like it lead me to the right person just in time."

"You're such a sap,Eren it's ridiculous." Levi bit his lip then kissed me back once our lips were together. I wrapped my arms around his waist as he tied his around my neck.

"Looks like I'm _your_ sap." I said between kisses as he snorted.

" _Oh, lucky me._ " Levi said sarcastically.  I frowned as he rolled his eyes and pulled me closer to his body.

"You're so mean." I bit his lip as he chuckled. I reached down and picked him up and out of the water, out of instinct, he wrapped his legs around my waist. Levi's forehead rested on mine as the sun began to set, we lost track of time but that didn't matter any more.

"Hey Levi," I started as he opened his beautiful silver eyes to peer into mine.

"Yes brat?" he smirked as I pouted then shook it off.

"I love you." I smiled as his face lit up all the way to his ears. God he was _perfect_.

"I love you too." He breathed then brought our lips together once more. While we kissed, I felt that warm sensation wash over my heart again, like it did when I was running into my school, the same feeling that I hoped was my Mom watching over me.

She was,and she always will.

_"I Love you Mom, forever and always, thank you for watching over me, Mikasa,Armin, and Levi. Without you, I wouldn't be the man that I am today. Keep watching over me..Okay?"_ I thought to myself then looked up toward the dusky sky, when Levi finally decided to let go of my lips. The wind blew my semi-dry bangs softly, like a mother's hand running through her little boy's hair.

She heard me and was smiling back down at me..

_~The End~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending was so sweet just ugh<3  
> \--Also sorry if anyone is OOC by any means. ((I don't think they are but if you think so, I apologize!!))--
> 
> Sadly this is the last Chapter for "The Ocean Between Us" I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you for the support and the encouragement to keep updating. You all deserve unconditional love and affection<3 All the Kudos, bookmarks,comments and readings just mean so much to me. I was shy about putting this up on AO3 when I wrote Chapter 1, but I'm so very enthused that I sucked it up and published it. 
> 
> ((Also, just because this Fic has ended, does not mean I'll stop writing, I still have three fics to finish and may start a new "JeanMarco" one soon. Just in case you were curious.))
> 
> \--You all mean so much!! :D --
> 
> If you have any questions/comments,ask/follow me on Tumblr! My name on there is the same as it is on here-  
> Booksimonseesmorphine  
> I also follow the tag. "Fic:the ocean between us"

**Author's Note:**

> Taking a break from All.Signs.Are.Present and decided to mess around with the Merman!LeviXEren idea. Hope everyone enjoys the first chapter and will continue to enjoy future chapters. So sit back, relax and enjoy a story about a boy and his love for the "sea". I apologize if Chapter 1 is a bit long but thank you for reading, commenting, and Kudos!! <3


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